On June 1, 2017, President Donald Trump stated that America would not be joining the Paris Climate Accord. The statement ignited panic among the people of the world, due to the U.S. being one of the largest users of fossil fuels and one of the countries with the largest amount fossil fuel emissions making it a great contributor to global warming.
While some were in shock and others were ready to start fighting this decision, Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, has “announced a commitment of up to $15 million to support the operations of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretariat, including its work to help countries implement their commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.” In other words, Bloomberg wanted to address the funding gap and many funding cuts related to climate change and the environment created by the Trump administration, by providing the funds through Bloomberg Philanthropies and its partners to “make up the approximately funding that the U.N.’s Climate Secretariat stands to lose from Washington” and include the U.S. in the Paris agreement.
Bloomberg stated that “Americans are not walking away from the Paris Climate Agreement, just the opposite – we are forging ahead. Mayors, governors, and business leaders from both political parties are signing onto a statement of support that we will submit to the UN – and together, we will reach the emission reduction goals the U.S. made in Paris in 2015” while citing his $15 million dollar contribution a sign of Bloomberg Philanthropies commitment to the cause. However, he is not the only one with intentions of keeping the U.S. in the Paris agreement, many cities have voiced their agreement, “with at least 86 mayors signing a statement saying they will adopt and uphold the agreement’s goals.”
“The only other countries not part of the agreement are Syria, which is in the midst of a civil war, and Nicaragua, which argued that the Paris accord did not go far enough to curb global emissions.” The U.S. is the only fully developed country leaving the agreement due to the lack of belief in climate change and the environmental impact left by humans.
Bloomberg’s generosity has inspired a new wave of environmental activists and believers who intend on keeping this country in good shape for the next generations. As stated by the former New York City mayor, “Americans will honor and fulfill the Paris Agreement by leading from the bottom up – and there isn’t anything Washington can do to stop us.”
