US Climate Alliance Says Action Will Continue in US

January 20, 2025

Governor Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham — co-chairs of the US Climate Alliance — today delivered a letter to UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell making it clear to the global community that climate action will continue in the U.S.

“We write as co-chairs of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of two dozen governors representing nearly 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population, to make it clear to you, and the rest of the world, that we will continue America’s work to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and slash climate pollution,” said Governors Hochul and Lujan Grisham. “We will not turn our back on America’s commitments. For our health and our future, we will press forward.” 

In the letter, the governors noted that the Alliance is well prepared for this moment, having launched this coalition back in 2017, when the President previously yanked the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement. They also cited governors’ broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to continue to advance innovative and impactful climate solutions and pointed to the Alliance’s long record of action and results. Finally, the governors committed to tracking and reporting on their progress to the international community, including at the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year.

Between 2005 and 2022, the Alliance reduced its collective net greenhouse gas emissions by 19 percent, while increasing collective GDP by 30 percent, and is on track to meet its near-term climate goal by reducing collective GHG emissions 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. Additionally, the coalition’s states and territories are collectively employing more workers in the clean energy sector, achieving lower levels of dangerous air pollutants, and preparing more effectively for climate impacts than the rest of the country. 

The Alliance has vowed to protect this progress and to sustain and advance climate action across America on several other occasions in recent weeks, including ahead of the presidential inauguration, at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), after the election in statements from its co-chairs and with America’s other top subnational climate action coalitions – America Is All In and Climate Mayors – and in a video featuring governors on its executive committee.

The complete text of today’s letter is copied below:

Mr. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
P.O. Box 260124
D-53153 Bonn, Germany

January 20, 2025

Dear Executive Secretary Stiell,

We write as co-chairs of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of two dozen governors representing nearly 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population, to make it clear to you, and the rest of the world, that we will continue America’s work to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and slash climate pollution.

As you know, this is not the first time we’ve responded to this challenge in the U.S. Our coalition was launched after the President’s decision to withdraw our country from the Paris Agreement back in 2017. Since then, our reach, resolve, and impact have only grown.

In fact, our states and territories are now on track to meet our near-term climate target by reducing collective net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. Our recent progress reflects a wave of ambitious state policies and federal funding enacted over the last few years – and it builds on our coalition’s 15-year trend of cutting emissions while simultaneously growing our economies. We have continued to ramp up our longer-term commitments as well, pledging to reduce GHG emissions at least 50-52 percent by 2030 and 61-66 percent by 2035, below 2005 levels, in alignment with the U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution. Most importantly, this action is bringing better health, cleaner air, good-paying jobs, new economic development, and lower costs to our communities.

Our states and territories continue to have broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to protect our progress and advance the climate solutions we need. This does not change with a shift in federal administration. States across our coalition are implementing a suite of policies and programs to secure our net-zero future, including statewide and regional carbon markets, 100 percent clean energy standards, and methane reduction programs for the oil and gas, waste, and agricultural sectors, among many others. We are also deploying billions of dollars to eliminate pollution in our communities and sustain our country’s clean energy boom.

It’s critical for the international community to know that climate action will continue in the U.S. The Alliance will bring this message to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year – just as we have at every COP since our coalition’s founding – as we work to implement our climate goals. We are also committed to tracking and reporting on our progress and look forward to working with you and the global community to identify the most impactful ways to do so. The Alliance is proud to publish an annual report each year on our latest action, and we are enclosing here our most recent report for your reference.

We will not turn our back on America’s commitments. For our health and our future, we will press forward.

Sincerely,

Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair
State of New York

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Co-Chair
State of New Mexico