29 October 2017: California Governor Jerry Brown and Michael Bloomberg have launched an initiative titled, ‘America’s Pledge on Climate Change,’ to compile and quantify the actions of US federal states, cities and businesses in order to help them reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and reaffirm “Americans’ collective commitment” to climate action.

Despite President Trump’s announcement that the US’ will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, an increasing number of US subnational actors and stakeholders have expressed their continuous support for the Agreement through collaborations such as the ‘We Are Still In’ Campaign, the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (MNCAA) coalition and the US Climate Alliance group of states.

The initiative is anticipated to demonstrate continued climate leadership from subnational actors to significantly reduce GHG emissions in the US with limited federal support.

Working towards the same end, the America’s Pledge initiative will aggregate the commitments made by these and other non-Party actors by quantifying their aggregate impacts and comparing them with a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario under likely Trump Administration policies. The initiative intends to provide guidance for increased climate action by US states, cities, businesses, research institutions and others. It also seeks to showcase progress on the US’ delivery of its pledge under the Paris Agreement.

In 2015, the US submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of reducing emissions by 26%-28% compared to 2005 levels by 2025. Although the Trump Administration announced that it will “immediately cease” the implementation of the US’ current NDC, the initiative is anticipated to demonstrate continued climate leadership from subnational actors to significantly reduce GHG emissions in the US with limited federal support.

Brown and Bloomberg, together with other US governors, mayors and business leaders, are expected ton compile and showcase existing climate commitments of US subnational and non-state actors at the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) taking place in Bonn, Germany, from 6-17 November 2017. [America’s Pledge Initiative] [UNFCCC Press Release] [We Are Still In Website] [MNACC Website] [US Climate Alliance Website]