Mayor Eric Garcetti says LA will adhere to Paris agreement after Trump withdraws

Calling climate change a “grave threat” to Angelenos’s health and the city’s environment and economy, Mayor Eric Garcetti promised Thursday to adhere to the Paris climate agreement—even if the U.S. does not.

Garcetti is leading a group of 61 mayors who are outlining a plan to uphold the goals of the historic agreement, the foundation of which is to keep global temperatures from rising 2°C, or 3.6°F.

The announcement was made shortly after President Donald Trump said officially he would withdraw from the agreement, a process that will take nearly four years.

“This is an urgent challenge, and it’s much bigger than one person ... LA will lead by committing to the goals of the accord—and will work closely with cities across America and the world to do the same,” Garcetti said in a statement.

Garcetti’s commitment echoes California Governor Jerry Brown’s, who told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that the state would do, “everything it can to not only stay the course, but to build more support—in other states, in other provinces, in other countries."

Garcetti also says he’s supporting a motion introduced Wednesday by Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin to adopt the stipulations of the Paris accord as city policy. The motion does not spell out details; it will be heard next by the council’s Energy and Environment Committee.

The city has already promised to bring greenhouse gas emissions to 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2025. Garcetti’s office says 80 percent of all city vehicles purchased this year are electric, and the city is on track to create 20,000 green jobs and power more than 12,000 homes with solar energy.

• 61 mayors adopt Paris climate accord after U.S. pulls out [Curbed]
• How you can help your city fight climate change [Curbed]