Washington, D.C. — Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement today after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and other leaders announced historic measures to divest the city’s pension funds from fossil fuel companies and pursue legal action against five major oil corporations for climate-related damage:
President Trump’s reckless decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement last summer spurred the American people to say, “We are still in.” Now, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the people of New York City are showing Trump’s fossil fuel pals the real cost of his contempt for the planet and providing a model for action to other leaders across the United States.
New York City officials are wisely refusing to invest in companies that contribute to climate change, a problem that threatens to put much of the city itself underwater in the next century. The city’s actions add a new voice to the growing chorus calling for fossil fuel divestment around the world.
At the same time, the city’s legal action will force fossil fuel companies to answer for the climate denial campaigns that have lined their pockets at the expense of our health, security, and economy. Having felt the effects of climate change on its shores, New York City has signaled its leadership in responding to the climate challenge and ensuring its future safety and prosperity.
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