Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a Mayor’s Order reaffirming Washington, DC’s support of the Paris Climate Accord. The Mayor’s Order renews Washington, DC’s commitment to the historic agreement to reduce global carbon emissions. Mayor Bowser was joined at the signing by local officials, federal partners, and environmental stakeholders.
“By signing this Mayor’s Order, we are standing with the growing list of U.S. states and cities that are taking local action for global results as we work to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Mayor Bowser. “Our values didn’t change on Election Day. The effects of climate change are already here, and without proper planning and collaboration, they will be catastrophic. It is in the country\’s best interest to take climate change seriously, and as the nation’s capital, we have a special obligation to create policies and implement programs that protect our environment.”
After President Trump announced last week that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, Mayor Bowser, along with nearly 200 U.S. Mayors representing 52 million Americans, committed to adopt, uphold, and honor the goals of the Paris Agreement. The mayors’ statement can be found at medium.com/@ClimateMayors.
“Now, more than ever, is the time for cities to step up to the plate. I\’m proud to stand with Mayor Bowser as she commits to ensuring that Washington, DC is prepared to address the effects of climate change while bolstering our emerging green economy,” said Department of Energy and Environment Director Tommy Wells.
Today’s event is the latest in a series of actions the Bowser Administration is taking to prepare for the effects of climate change and to ensure Washington, DC is sustainable and resilient for future generations. As a member of the C40 Cities, a network of the world’s largest cities to address climate change, the Bowser Administration pledged to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Over the past two years, the Administration launched Climate Ready DC to prepare the District for the effects of climate change; proposed the DC Green Bank which will help create jobs, expand solar power, lower energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; finalized the largest municipal wind power purchase agreement deal of its kind in the United States; and began work on the largest on-site municipal solar generation in the country.