Story highlights A group of scientists released an open letter on Tuesday urging action on climate change

The scientists called for support of the Paris climate change agreement

(CNN) A group of 375 "concerned" scientists -- including famed physicist Stephen Hawking -- released an open letter Tuesday sharply criticizing Donald Trump, citing the threat of climate change and blasting his push for the US to leave the Paris Accord.

"It is of great concern that the Republican nominee for President has advocated U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord. A 'Parexit' would send a clear signal to the rest of the world: 'The United States does not care about the global problems of human-caused climate change. You are on your own,'" the group wrote on the website responsiblescientists.org

The use of the term "Parexit" is a reference to a political withdrawal along the lines of the UK's vote to leave the European Union, commonly called the "Brexit."

They continued, "The consequences of opting out of the global community would be severe and long-lasting -- for our planet's climate and for the international credibility of the United States."

The letter is signed by a number of famous scientists, including Hawking and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu, who served as Secretary of Energy under President Barack Obama.

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