It has been a year since President Trump announced the United States exit from the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Backlash began immediately following the announcement. Trump explained the withdraw as he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” 

The mayor of Pittsburgh was quick to reply by tweeting, 

“I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy, and future.” 

Since the US is no longer following the agreement as a country, many cities and towns have stepped up to try to fill the void. The Climate Mayors initiative, which has been signed by over 405 municipalities, is committed to upholding the Paris Agreement on a local level. Over 80 US cities are already committed to using 100% renewable energy. California has also announced the plan to launch an independent climate-monitoring satellites if NASA’s science programs are cut. 

Businesses are also committed to follow the Agreement in a coalition called We Are Still In. The withdrawal has caused cities to speed up on their plans to combat the climate crisis. New York is in the process of electrifying their bus fleet, and Los Angeles has promised to not use coal-fired electricity. Some states like California and New Jersey are investing more into their solar and wind energy capacity. Even with the push of using renewable energy and cutting back on pollutants from cities and businesses, it still does not carry the weight as it would if the whole country was also doing these activities.