Today Mayor Jackie Biskupski joined with 61 U.S. mayors to affirm Salt Lake City’s commitment to the climate goals enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement, following President Trump’s withdrawal of U.S. support for the historic accord.

The coalition of Climate Mayors released a statement on medium.com/@climatemayors today, included below.

Mayor Biskupski also joined the coalition in sending a letter, under a cover letter from UN envoy Mike Bloomberg, to UNFCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa from mayors, governors, CEOs, and university leaders. The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“Salt Lake City is warming at a rate twice the global average, which is already impacting water supplies, worsening air quality, and threatening our $1 billion ski industry,” Mayor Biskupski said.

“This unprecedented action by President Trump affects each and every one of us. We must lead where the White House refuses to. Cities are paving the path toward a livable future and I’m proud to count Salt Lake City in that cohort.”

Last year through a joint resolution, Mayor Biskupski and the Salt Lake City Council committed to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2032 and an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, both at the community level. Further details are at www.slcgreen.com/climatepositive. A joint Clean Energy Implementation Plan with Rocky Mountain Power is published at www.slcgreen.com/rmp-implementation-plan, and further specifies Salt Lake City’s clean energy objectives.

The goals listed in the Joint Resolution and Climate Positive are informed by what the international community agrees we must do as part of the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature rise at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Mayor Biskupski is a member of the Climate Mayors (aka, Mayors National Climate Action Agenda, or MNCAA), a network of 88 U.S. mayors representing more than 36 million Americans. The Climate Mayors work together to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and support efforts for binding federal and global-level policy making.

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Statement from the Climate Mayors in response to President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement

“The President’s denial of global warming is getting a cold reception from America’s cities.

As 61 Mayors representing 36 million Americans, we will adopt, honor, and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. We will intensify efforts to meet each of our cities’ current climate goals, push for new action to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, and work together to create the 21st clean energy economy.

We will continue to lead. We are increasing investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. We will buy and create more demand for electric cars and trucks. We will increase our efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, create a clean energy economy, and stand for environmental justice. And if the President wants to break the promises made to our allies enshrined in the historic Paris Agreement, we’ll build and strengthen relationships around the world to protect the planet from devastating climate risks.

The world cannot wait — and neither will we.”