President can't stop New York's clean-energy progress

Jon Campbell | The Journal News

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump: Paris accord more about financial gain President Donald Trump says the Paris accord is more about other nations gaining a "financial advantage" over the U.S. than it is about climate change. (June 1)

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York's goal to dramatically cut its greenhouse-gas emissions will continue despite U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.

President Trump announced Thursday that the country would back out of the 2015 agreement, a wide-ranging, international accord meant to slow rising temperatures across the globe by committing countries to cut pollution.

But even as the Republican president pulls out of the deal, New York's emission-cutting goals, which already outpaced the federal goals, will remain in effect.

Following Trump's announcement, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he will sign an executive order ensuring the Empire State will remain committed to the goals of the Paris agreement "regardless of Washington's irresponsible actions."

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Cuomo, California Gov. Jerry Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee also announced Thursday they will lead an effort to have states commit to upholding the agreement.

"We will not ignore the science and reality of climate change, which is why I am also signing an executive order confirming New York's leadership role in protecting our citizens, our environment, and our planet," Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement.

Under the Paris agreement, the Obama administration committed to cutting 26% to 28% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 2025.

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New York's climate goals began before the Paris agreement, dating to a 2009 executive order signed by then-Gov. David Paterson, also a Democrat.

Paterson's order set the goal of cutting 80% of the state's 1990 levels of greenhouse-gas emissions, which are lower than 2005 levels, by 2050.

Since then, the state has set a shorter-term goal of cutting emissions 40% and producing 50% of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Cuomo's administration bolstered those goals by including them in the state's 2015 energy plan and setting them in state regulations, which give them the power of law.

Trump pointed in part to financial reasons for withdrawing from Paris climate deal, a lengthy process that won't be complete until 2020.

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The U.S. had committed to sending money to poorer countries to boost their commitment to battling climate change. About $1 billion had been sent so far, Trump said Thursday.

"We want fair treatment for our taxpayers," Trump said. "We don't want other leaders and other countries laughing at us anymore, and they won't. I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris." Pittsburgh's mayor said his city will follow the Paris agreement in spite of the president's turn of phrase.

Jackson Morris, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Eastern energy project, said withdrawing from the Paris agreement is "completely insane" and "bad for our reputation internationally."

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But he noted that New York and other states had been investing in energy efficiency projects and renewable energy long before the Paris agreement.

"All of that is going to keep happening no matter what (Trump) says," Morris said. "I think it's important to recognize that at least mechanically, nothing will change as far as what New York's doing."

Trump's decision drew rebukes from New York's Democratic federal lawmakers, including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who called it "irresponsibly shortsighted."

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Meanwhile, New York City, home to more than 8.5 million people, committed to the 80% goal in September 2014. (The city of Los Angeles has less than half its population.)

On Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he plans to sign an executive order later this week re-committing the city to the Paris agreement.

"We will partner with cities big and small around the country to support them in doing the same," de Blasio said at an event in Brooklyn. "It’s obvious that when our federal government fails us, local governments have to step up. And if cities and towns and counties and states all over the country step up and agree to abide by the Paris agreement, we can forestall the worst."

Follow Jon Campbell on Twitter: @JonCampbellGAN