Trump Proposal to Abandon Clean Power Plan Out of Step With Business Community

BOSTON, October 10, 2017 /3BL Media/- The proposal released today by the Trump administration to abandon the Clean Power Plan is both “misguided and out of step with the leaders in the business community,” Ceres said in a statement today.

The Clean Power Plan is the nation’s first comprehensive effort to reduce carbon pollution from existing electric power plants – the second largest source of global warming pollution in the country.

Anne Kelly, senior director of policy and the BICEP Network, added: 

The Trump administration’s proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan is misguided and completely out of step with what the U.S. business community wants and needs to fight climate change. More than 365 companies and investors voiced their support for the Clean Power Plan in 2015, declaring that their position was “grounded in economic reality.” These companies and investors understand the enormous threat that climate changes poses to the health of our economy and to our planet.

Despite the administration’s efforts to move us backward, companies and investors will continue the work to move the U.S. forward to reduce our collective carbon footprint and to meet our commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. In fact, more than 1,700 companies and investors have signed the We Are Still In statement, making public their commitment to uphold the agreement.

More and more major companies are already choosing to rely on cost-cutting renewable energy to power their operations.  States, too, continue to lead and to take bold actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.  Many have demonstrated that they can reduce their carbon footprint, without compromising job growth or threatening economic prosperity. Cities, universities and houses of worship are also “still in” when it comes to addressing climate change.   

Instead of setting the U.S. back, the Trump administration should be moving ahead to seize the greatest economic opportunity of our time...tackling climate change through the right tax incentives, clean energy investments and smart regulatory model like the Clean Power Plan.  

Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. For more information, visit www.ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.