Global network of mayors react to President Trump withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement

President Trump has confirmed that he will once again withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement in his first days in office.

Despite this act of climate vandalism, American city mayors and the C40 Cities network have reaffirmed their commitment to leading the way forward to confront the climate crisis.

Our cities will remain the bastions of climate progress, working tirelessly to cut emissions, build a green economy through a just transition, protect our residents from the impacts of the climate crisis, and continue international collaboration.

Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson said: "Chicago and our peer cities are, and will remain, at the forefront of climate action. As the new federal administration abandons its duty to protect the planet from environmental collapse, Chicago will not waver from our duty to protect our communities' health, safety and well-being. This means making low-cost, clean energy accessible to all, creating good-paying jobs in the green economy and preparing our neighborhoods to withstand more frequent and extreme weather events. Regardless of federal action, Chicago reaffirms our commitment to our planet, our people and our neighborhoods and vows to make every effort to drastically reduce carbon emissions, minimize our reliance on fossil fuels and leverage every opportunity to enhance the quality of life of our residents."

Mayor of Phoenix, Climate Mayors Chair and C40 Cities Vice-Chair, Kate Gallego, said: "Regardless of the federal government's actions, mayors are not backing down on our commitment to the Paris Agreement. The cost of inaction is simply too high. As we have recently seen from the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, extreme summer temperatures in Phoenix, and hard-hitting hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida, the effects of our changing climate are at our doorstep. Now, more than ever, we must accelerate our work to protect our communities, lower energy bills, create good-paying local jobs, and maintain our nation's economic competitiveness by modernizing our infrastructure and investing in emerging markets.

"Our constituents are looking to us to meet the moment and deliver meaningful solutions, which is why we're expanding our work with partners across the United States, from philanthropy and business leaders to members of Congress and governors. We're building an implementation plan that meets our targets under the Paris Agreement and ensures that our cities remain resilient and prosperous for future generations."

Mayor of London and C40 Co-Chair, Sadiq Khan, said: "It is deeply disappointing that President Trump has chosen to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, once again.

"2024 was the hottest year on record, and as we've so vividly seen by the heartbreaking L.A wildfires, the devastating effects of the climate crisis are hitting communities all around the world - across all continents, and whether rich or poor.

"Now couldn't be a more perilous time for world leaders to renege on their climate responsibilities and ignore the science on the existential threat posed by climate change.

"Cities like London will continue to lead the way. We will redouble our efforts to work with our friends in US states and cities to uphold the key pillars of the Paris Agreement, and demonstrate the huge opportunities that investment in green technologies can have for economies around the world. We will stay open to investment in the high-tech green industries that remain the economies of the future.

"The work of leaders committed to creating a fairer and greener world for future generations has only become more urgent."

C40 Cities Executive Director, Mark Watts, said: "Donald Trump's decision to abandon the most significant climate pledge of our generation is a gross dereliction of his duty as a world leader, especially as President of the country with the single biggest historic responsibility for pumping greenhouse gases into our shared atmosphere. To ignore that, and the damage that the climate emergency is wreaking across the U.S. from hurricanes and floods in the south to the fires that still burn in LA, shows a complete disregard for the safety and future of Americans and other people around the world alike.

However, despite this act of climate vandalism, mayors of American cities - who well understand the dangers of this global crisis - continue to deliver on their plans to build the green economy that will generate tomorrow's prosperity, cut emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement and protect their residents from the impacts of the crisis.

At C40, we know the power of city leadership in delivering the emissions reductions and resilience our world desperately needs. As we face the challenges of a second Trump presidency, cities remain bastions of climate progress, driving forward the action needed to transition to a green economy and a better quality of life for everyone."