American Leaders to Trump: U.S. Must Look Forward, Not Backward on Climate Change
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to reverse much of the progress our nation has made on climate. His recent appointment of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a fierce critic of the Environmental Protection Agency, to be the EPA’s administrator is a clear indication he intends to follow through on that plan. This is why almost 100 American religious leaders, health and medical professionals, business executives, community leaders, and educators signed an open letter to Trump calling for a clean-energy future in this country.
The declaration, which was spearheaded by ecoAmerica, was published this morning as a full-page statement in USA TODAY. It advises Mr. Trump that the multiple benefits of climate solutions align with his primary goals of growing the economy, bringing jobs back to America, and strengthening national infrastructure. The signatories added their voices to a growing list of mayors, scientists, business leaders, and environmental groups who have released major public statements urging Mr. Trump to heed scientific facts about climate change.
Because I see our neighbors suffering due to a changing climate, I join with other faith, health, business, and community leaders across America to support climate solutions that will equalize the scales of justice for those most impacted, provide healthy communities for our children and grandchildren, and protect God’s creation.
One signatory, Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) asserted, “As a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is called to take action on one of the greatest moral challenges of our time – protecting our shared home. Because I see our neighbors suffering due to a changing climate, I join with other faith, health, business, and community leaders across America to support climate solutions that will equalize the scales of justice for those most impacted, provide healthy communities for our children and grandchildren, and protect God’s creation.”
The Chairman of ecoAmerica’s Board of Directors, former U.S. Undersecretary of State Frank Loy, said the statement was placed to send President-elect Trump a message that everyday Americans are concerned about the future. “The diverse leaders in our extensive network are not environmentalists as such. But they strongly believe that America should keep its climate commitments, including the international Paris Agreement reached a year ago. We should be leading the world on climate solutions. Undoing the progress made to date would be disastrous for the future of our planet.”
ecoAmerica urges local, faith, and health leaders around the country to join us in raising our voices for climate progress. Read and sign the statement at AmericansforClimateSolutions.com.