Courtney: Backing Out Of Paris Climate Accord Puts Country On Wrong Side Of History

NORWICH, CT – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) sharply criticized President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 Paris Climate Accord.

"Today's decision puts the United States squarely on the wrong side of history," said Courtney. "The United States is the second largest carbon emitter in the world, and the Paris Climate Accord proved that our nation, and the global community as a whole, has recognized that a zero-emissions, clean energy economy is the only path forward for a sustainable, sound future. In Connecticut, we've taken this to heart: over half of all electric power generation jobs are in the solar sector—more than natural gas or any other fuel. These jobs are not only going to dominate our economy in the future – they are already a major part of our economy today. Turning our back on the Paris Climate Accord leaves our nation without a seat at the table as the world determines climate and clean energy policies, raises troubling questions about whether our nation stands by its commitments, and undermines states like Connecticut that have longstanding commitments to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions."

The Paris Climate Accord was an agreement reached in 2015 among 195 countries that agreed to take steps to mitigate the effects of climate change. Every nation involved made an individual pledge tailored to their specific national needs. Now that the United States moves to exit, we will join Syria and Nicaragua as the only United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) member nations to not be part of the agreement.

The Department of Energy reported in January of 2017 that of 5,205 Electric Power Generation workers in Connecticut, solar makes up the largest segment with 2,927 jobs, followed by natural gas generation at 742 jobs.

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