STATE
CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Leaders
of the Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on President
Trump removing the United States from the Paris Agreement:
"President Trump's decision to back out of the
Paris Agreement is an act of ideological folly that will cause long-term damage
to Arizona's environment and our economy.
The first decade of this millennium was warmer
than any of the 20th century and temperatures are rising still. Multiple climate
models show the Southwest will experience some of the worst climate change
in the U.S. over the next 40 to 80 years. Those higher temperatures will
amplify drought conditions, making water more scarce, and require more energy
to cool buildings.
Of the historic "Five C's" of Arizona's
economy, the one whose value has never fluctuated is climate. Arizona's weather
and natural beauty still draw millions of visitors from around the world each
year. In
2015 alone, those visitors put $21 billion into our economy and supported
almost 180,000 jobs.
And Arizona's climate provides the nation and the
world with fresh fruits, vegetables and grains from our $17
billion-per-year agriculture industry. A lack of water and shifting growing
seasons would be devastating to Arizona's farms and the 77,000 jobs they
create.
With our abundance of sunshine and our renowned entrepreneurial
spirit, Arizona can benefit immensely by welcoming innovative clean power
companies that will help us transition from fossil fuel dependency,
safeguarding the health of our environment, our economy and our people while
creating new, high-skilled jobs.
By pulling out of the Paris Agreement, President
Trump is abandoning the majority
of Arizonans, and Americans, who support the Agreement and acting counter
to the advice of U.S.
Senator John McCain and Mitt Romney.
Sticking your head in the sand is not leadership,
it's cowardice. Climate change is an issue where the U.S. should be a world
leader. Leading in this area can grow our economy at the same time as we
protect our world for our children and grandchildren."
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