DuPont, General Mills, Hilton, Levi Strauss & Co., and the Mars candy empire headed a parade of more than 360 U.S.-based and international businesses and large investors that called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week to step away from his apparent intent to abandon America’s climate goals.
“We want the U.S. economy to be energy efficient and powered by low-carbon energy,” the group coordinated by several international NGOs wrote in an open letter to Trump, U.S. President Barack Obama, and the U.S. Congress. “Failure to build a low-carbon economy puts American prosperity at risk. But the right action now will create jobs and boost U.S. competitiveness.”
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The letter called on the United States to continue to implement the Paris Agreement, maintain low-carbon policies, and invest in clean energy innovation.
“Implementing the Paris Climate Agreement will enable and encourage businesses and investors to turn the billions of dollars in existing low-carbon investments into the trillions of dollars the world needs to bring clean energy prosperity to all,” the group added.
Other participants in the so-called 360+ group included Gap, Hewlett Packard, Kellogg, Nike, Starbucks, and Unilever. Other analysts have suggested that quitting the agreement may be harder than Trump anticipates.
