Washington (November 4, 2019) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, released the following statement after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally notified the United Nations that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement in one year.

“September was the warmest September ever recorded. July was the warmest month ever recorded. Our country is literally on fire. The world needs a global climate action superhero, but Donald Trump would rather play international climate villain,” said Senator Markey.

“By formally withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, President Trump is not only going against the will of the majority of the American people who support action, he also is turning his back on the world and future generations who will have to survive the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. There is a global clean energy revolution happening right now, but President Trump is handing over countless American clean energy jobs and the development of new technologies to China, Germany, India, and other countries.

“We must keep fighting to preserve the promise of the Paris agreement and a global commitment to combat the climate crisis for the sake of our businesses, for our health, for our national security, and for our standing in the world. We need a Green New Deal to show that the United States will do our fair share to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support climate-smart economic development, and carry the mantle of global leadership on climate solutions.

“I believe voters in the 2020 presidential election will lodge their resistance to President Trump’s historically-disastrous decision.”

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