FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRN CALLS ON GOVERNOR RAUNER TO STAY IN PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
Contact: Jeff Kohmstedt, Prairie Rivers Network, jkohmstedt@prairierivers.org, 217-344-2371 ext. 207
CHAMPAIGN, IL – As world leaders attend the U.N. Climate summit in Bonn, Germany this week, Prairie Rivers Network (PRN) delivered petitions to Governor Bruce Rauner calling on him to sign the “We Are Still In” declaration committing the State of Illinois to the principles outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.
“In the absence of leadership from Washington,” the declaration says, “states, cities, counties, tribes, colleges and universities, businesses and investors, representing a sizeable percentage of the U.S. economy will pursue ambitious climate goals, working together to take forceful action and to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing emissions.”
“The United States has turned its back on the rest of the world in backing out of the Paris Climate Agreement,” PRN Executive Director Carol Hays said. “The United States is looked to for leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and we are failing to live up to our role as a world leader.”
The “We Are Still In” declaration came out of the Trump administration decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement in June of this year. That agreement set voluntary limits on global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. With the lack of leadership in Washington, businesses, governments, universities, and faith-based organizations have signed the declaration to do what they can to to fight climate change.
PRN deliver 650 signed petitions to the Governor’s office on November 7th in efforts to convince him to sign onto the declaration.
“The people of Illinois overwhelmingly believe in the benefits of reducing our impact on climate change. It is time the governor and the state took steps to further fight climate change,” Hays said.
Prairie Rivers Network (PRN) is Illinois’ advocate for clean water and healthy rivers and is the Illinois affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. PRN advocates for cultural values, policies and practices that sustain the ecological health and biological diversity of Illinois’ water resources and aquatic ecosystems. It is a member-supported, nonprofit organization that champions clean, healthy rivers and lakes and safe drinking water to benefit the people and wildlife of Illinois.
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