AIA Openly Opposes Trump’s Decision to Pull the US From the Paris Climate Deal

The American Institute of Architects has released a statement in response to President Donald Trump’s decision today to pull the Untied States out of the landmark Paris climate deal. The national organization openly opposed the withdrawal and reaffirmed its commitment to mitigating climate change in the United States and around the world.

AIA President Thomas Vonier, FAIA, wrote:

“The United States must remain a leader in the battle to cease harmful and needless practices that damage the planet and its climate, acting out of both environmental concerns and national economic interests. Instead of helping our economy, as the Administration contends, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement will put us behind our major global competitors.

“The AIA will not retreat from its long-established efforts to conserve energy and to deploy renewable resources in buildings. We will continue to lead in efforts to curb the use of fuels and technologies that needlessly pollute our atmosphere and harm our environment. This makes good sense economically, and it is in the best interests of those we serve: our clients and the public.

“We will also urge our members throughout the United States and the world to assist cities, states, organizations and citizen groups in meeting the aims of the climate accord.

“By adhering to our values as a profession that is concerned with human habitat and the health of our environment we will help to mitigate the harm this decision will do to our economy and to America’s stature across the globe.”

New York City during Hurricane Sandy; image via National Geographic

During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to remove the U.S. from the list of 197 countries who signed the Paris Climate Agreement on November 4, 2016. In a press briefing this afternoon at the White House, Trump told Americans that he seeks to negotiate a new climate deal that is “fair” to the American people.

He argued that the original agreement would “punish” the United States and damage its economic growth, specifically in the manufacturing industries, and take away coal and mining jobs. Trump was enabled to make this decision independently, as former President Barack Obama formally entered into the deal last year as an “executive agreement” without the Senate’s approval.

Today’s announcement will not activate the United States’ immediate withdrawal from the deal. According to Article 28 of the document, countries are not permitted to officially withdraw until three years after the original signing of the agreement, and even then, they must give one year’s notice. This means the U.S. wouldn’t be released from the deal until November 2020 — right after the next presidential election.

CO2 “scrubber” claims to wipe out pollution; image by Institution of Mechanical Engineers via Green Futures.

The International Union of Architects (UIA) also released a letter supporting the AIA’s declaration, while the U.S. Green Building Council published a statement imploring industry leaders to keep building and “LEED on” as well. So far, 147 of the parties in the agreement have ratified, while only two other countries openly oppose the deal: Syria and Nicaragua. The United States is the second largest carbon dioxide–emitting nation in the world, according to the European Commission. Trump’s decision to pull out of the accord will certainly ignite international debate on not only the success of the deal, but the future of our planet.

Cover image shows dust storms due to drought in Phoenix, Arizona; © via Daniel Bryant on Flickr.