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Washington, DC – The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is deeply disappointed by President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Signed in 2015, the Paris Agreement aims to cut greenhouse gas emission to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming.

Contact Tim McHugh: media@fcnl.org, 202-903-2515

The Paris Agreement has become the bedrock of international cooperation on climate mitigation and adaptation. President Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement during his first term, a move President Joe Biden quickly reversed during his first week in office in 2021.

“As people of faith living in the largest greenhouse gas emitter throughout history, we recognize our moral and political responsibility to care for God’s creation and protect future generations. Climate change is a shared challenge that requires us to act as a global community for the good of our planetary home,” said Bridget Moix, FCNL’s general secretary. “This withdrawal again threatens years of progress and international cooperation to the collective goal of limiting global temperature rise and reducing harm.”

Despite the announcement, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement will not take effect until one year after the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change receives written notice. Until then, the U.S. will remain a party to the agreement and its commitments.

“While we are deeply troubled by this announcement, we know facing the climate challenge requires action from all levels of leadership - international, federal, state, and local. But we also that we have the tools and information needed to advocate for this change right now,” said Daren Caughron, FCNL’s sustainable energy and environment legislative manager. “These tools, such as our nationally determined contribution, can serve as a blueprint for all levels of government to align their climate goals with emissions reductions, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the clean economy, and expand access to affordable electricity access for all Americans.”

“We urge President Trump to work with Congress to develop and implement bipartisan solutions that will reduce emissions, protect God’s creation, and care for the most vulnerable communities,” said Moix.

To learn more, please visit www.fcnl.org.

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Tim McHugh

Timothy McHugh

Director of Media Relations

Tim leads organizational efforts to communicate about issues, victories, priorities, and updates through all available news channels – specifically the major media outlets.