Hundreds of major companies are fearing that the environmental policies of a Trump presidency might seriously hurt the environment—and their businesses.
More than 300 firms—including Starbucks, Nike, and Gap—signed an open letter to President-elect Trump urging him not to repeal policies that safeguard against global warming. Specifically, the companies are asking him to continue regulating carbon emissions and move forward with the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement—a non-binding treaty between the U.S. and more than 100 countries to cut down on greenhouse gases.
“We want the U.S. economy to be energy efficient and powered by low-carbon energy,” the letter says. “Failure to build a low-carbon economy puts American prosperity at risk.”
Trump has previously urged the U.S. to pull out of the Paris Agreement. He’s previously referred to climate change as a hoax “created by and for the Chinese”:
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012
However, many major corporations consider climate change to be a more urgent peril.
“This is an important moment in global political and economic history, and we absolutely must come together to solve the immense challenges facing the planet,” Mars Incorporated’s chief sustainability and health and well-being officer, Barry Parkin, wrote in the letter. “Climate change, water scarcity and deforestation are serious threats to society.”