New York, NY — Following President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, today a coalition of organizations, including 350.org, Avaaz, and MoveOn.org Civic Action, delivered more than 2.5 million signatures from across the United States and around the world on a petition to the United Nations supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement and urging world leaders to move forward on climate action.
[Left to Right] H.E. Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management Minister and National DIsaster Manage of Fiji and COP 23; Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco; United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed; 350.org spokesperson Thanu Yakupitiyage; United Nations General Assembly President Peter Thomson; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Iain Keith, Campaign Director at Avaaz.
“One million of the 2.5 million signatures in this petition represent a vast majority of Americans in all 50 states who support climate action,” said 350.org spokesperson Thanu Yakupitiyage. “With the climate crisis unfolding all around us, Trump’s climate-denying administration is trading away our future to prop up fossil fuel billionaires. Now it’s imperative that the rest of the world, as well as U.S. states and cities, fill the gap and take the necessary steps to deliver on the goals of Paris. Only by coming together can we make the future livable for people of all nations.”
The Paris Climate Agreement includes signatures from 195 countries, and 148 of those countries have ratified it. As Trump announced his intention to leave the agreement, leaders in France, Germany, China, and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to the accord’s goals. More than 1200 business leaders, mayors, governors, and college presidents have also pledged to support the Paris Climate Agreement since Trump’s June 1st announcement.
Iain Keith, campaign director at Avaaz said, “President Trump’s withdrawal from Paris has galvanised the world against him and his minority of climate deniers. Hundreds of Governments and Mayors, thousands of businesses, and millions of citizens have sent him a clear message that they are staying in Paris. The clean energy revolution is unstoppable, Trump’s stand to gut climate action will fail.”
This petition delivery occurred days before dozens of “Act on Climate” rallies are planned on June 10th at City Halls and State Capitols across the United States.
“Upon first reading that President Trump was considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, I was tempted to feel defeated; to feel powerless. How could the whims of one man be allowed to impact the world in so disastrous a manner?,” said Patrick McHeffey, MoveOn member and petition creator.
He continued, “That’s why I started my petition on MoveOn.org: to stand as an impassioned statement to our leaders and to the world that in spite of Trump’s shortsighted decision, we can and will remain as committed as ever to mitigating climate change. More than 500,000 citizens of the United States signed on in less than 4 days. We are not powerless. We are not defeated. We are citizens with a simple message. Today, we’re delivering that message to the United Nations. And we’ve only just begun. “
Press Contact: Dani Heffernan, [email protected], +1 (305) 992-1544