New York, United States (AFP) — When President Donald Trump announced America’s abandonment of the Paris climate deal Thursday, saying he was elected to represent “Pittsburgh, not Paris,” several US cities and states responded with a defiant counter-declaration: We’re staying in.”As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future,” Democrat Bill Peduto tweeted in a swift, widely read retort to Trump’s move.

The Democratic-led states of California, New York and Washington also asserted an environmental independence of sorts, pledging to uphold the global accord’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

“I don’t believe fighting reality is a good strategy,” California Governor Jerry Brown said in a statement announcing the formation of the United States Climate Alliance.

“If the president is going to be AWOL in this profoundly important human endeavor, then California and other states will step up.”

Brown, who championed environmental causes when he first served as governor in the 1970s, oversaw an expansion of California’s greenhouse gas reduction standards since returning to the post in 2011.

Trump’s critics have fumed that exiting the Paris deal puts the United States at a disadvantage on the world stage.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/US_cities_and_states_defy_Trump,_embrace_climate_pact