Ben Hellerstein
Former State Director, Environment Massachusetts
With U.S. withdrawing from Paris accord, states must lead
Media Contacts
Environment Massachusetts
Washington, D.C. – Today, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate accord.
Ben Hellerstein, Environment Massachusetts State Director, issued the following statement in response:
“When the nations of the world joined in the Paris accord, we all finally stood as one to begin to address the climate crisis. This embarrassing decision says to the world that the United States — the nation most responsible for climate-altering pollution — feels no responsibility for cutting pollution and averting the worst impacts of global warming.
President Trump has got it exactly backwards: there’s no sound economy in our future without a healthy planet. If national leadership chooses to ignore that reality, then governors and mayors must step in to fill the leadership void to show the world that Americans will do our part to address the climate crisis.
Avoiding disaster would be easier with strong federal leadership, but it’s not too late to defend clean air and a livable climate. If President Trump won’t stick by the U.S. commitment to reduce pollution, then our states, cities and industries must do so.
To accelerate progress, we are calling on Governor Charlie Baker and the leaders of other northeastern states to double the strength of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative this summer. And we are urging leaders in the State House to pass the 100% Renewable Energy Act, which would put Massachusetts on track to get all of its energy from clean, renewable sources.
In Washington, D.C., U.S. senators must act to protect vital pollution-cutting programs — including clean car standards and clean air standards — from any attack.
We must all work together to reduce and eliminate the pollution that is causing the world to warm. Our families’ health and the future of the world ecosystem are at stake.”
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Environment Massachusetts is the statewide, citizen-funded advocacy group working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.
