Divided We Stand

If Trump doesn’t sign the Paris Climate Agreement, our cities should.

We’re living through a Great Divide: a generational divide between those who long for the past and those who lean into the future; a cultural divide between those who favor individualism and self-reliance, and those who engage in collectivism and the collaborative economy; and a geographic divide between rural communities and big cities.

But when it comes to caring for Earth, we must have a common purpose and a mutual obligation. We share one planet — our air, water, weather systems and seismic activities know no boundaries.

Climate change is a global crisis that cannot be ignored. According to a U.S. Presidential Memorandum in September 2016, climate change presents a “significant and growing threat to national security, both at home and abroad.” In addition to posing an existential risk, “climate change and its associated impacts affect economic prosperity, public health and safety, and international stability.”

The Paris Climate Agreement proposes a coordinated global response to reduce our emissions and achieve long-term carbon neutrality. Other countries have gotten the memo, but under our current administration, the United States is dragging its feet. While all six other nations in the Group of 7 reaffirmed their commitment to the historic pact, Mr. Trump is considering withdrawing our participation. We have a President who wants to go back to the good ol’ days: when we could pollute our air, water and environs with complete naiveté to the long-term consequences. Regardless of whether or not climate change is human-caused or human-influenced, we must deal with its effects, today.

We can either subscribe to this global consensus and reinvent our country’s approach to ecosystemic sustainability, or we’ll dive deeper into environmental debt and yield our leadership position on the world stage.

There are signs that the President’s actions, and inaction, of late are already eroding our global stature: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a champion of the agreement, has sidestepped our President and become the de facto leader of international collaboration on combating climate change, declaring, “We Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands.”

In big cities like New York, we’re eager to embrace research and innovation, progress society and build a more sustainable ecosystem — for our own health and wellbeing, and our continuation as a species. Given cities are home to over 80% of the U.S. population and the main source of carbon emissions, our commitment to the cause is a good start. As the largest city in the United States, New York should lead the charge by unilaterally signing the Paris Climate Agreement.

Moreover, we need to implement a comprehensive Climate Resilience Plan: smart policies that regulate carbon emissions and protect our environment, construction of new infrastructure to deal with the immediate threats posed by natural disasters, development of renewable sources of energy, adoption of environment-friendly materials and waste product, investments in research and new technologies that enable us to reverse the damage and depletion that’s already been done, and public awareness that drives sustainable change in behavior.

As New Yorkers, we should step up to the moment with the take-charge attitude that so distinctly characterizes us and makes our city the world’s capital. And other American cities should stand with and alongside us, together in our cause and united in our resolve to tackle climate change, cultivate a culture of consciousness, and secure our future.

Because here’s where our President misses the point: sacrifices today aren’t an economic cost unfairly borne by the United States; they’re an investment in our legacy — both as a people and as a planet.

Generations from now, humankind will reflect back on this pivotal moment and judge us by our actions; I hope we will make them proud.

Mike Tolkin is a Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York City.