RMI Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

RMI asserts that while the U.S. federal withdrawal from the Paris Agreement undermines global efforts, the transition to clean energy will continue through the actions of American states, cities, and businesses. The organization highlights the growth of the solar industry and the ability of subnational entities to form an alternative 'societally determined contribution' to maintain climate leadership.

• The withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement is viewed as a significant blow to global climate governance because the U.S. is the top emitter of greenhouse gases on a per capita basis.
• U.S. climate progress is expected to persist through the efforts of governors, mayors, and business leaders, potentially forming an alternative 'societally determined contribution' (SDC) or nationally determined contribution (NDC).
• The U.S. energy transition is evidenced by the fact that renewable energy and natural gas provided 50% of electricity supplies in the previous year, while coal fell to its lowest share in 70 years at 30%.
• The U.S. solar industry showed significant growth, employing 260,077 workers in the previous year, which represents a nearly 25% increase since 2015.
• Most countries globally remain committed to the Paris Agreement, with China, India, and Europe positioned to fill the leadership gap left by the U.S., alongside all but three countries (Syria, Nicaragua, and the U.S.).

APA

Kortenhorst, J. (2017). RMI Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. RMI. https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-statement-u-s-withdrawal-paris-agreement/

Chicago

Kortenhorst, Jules. RMI Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. RMI, 2017. https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-statement-u-s-withdrawal-paris-agreement/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Kortenhorst |first1=Jules |title=RMI Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement |publisher=RMI |date=1 June 2017 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-statement-u-s-withdrawal-paris-agreement/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{kortenhorst2017rmi, author = {Kortenhorst, Jules}, title = {{RMI Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement}}, publisher = {RMI}, year = {2017}, month = jun, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-statement-u-s-withdrawal-paris-agreement/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }