Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced her plans to join the U.S. Climate Alliance at a press conference in Lansing. She stated that “We’ve got to take action to protect our state from the effects of climate change. The science is in, and it’s time we get to work to mitigate the impact of climate change for the sake of our kids and future generations in Michigan.”

The Alliance was formed in June 2017 in response to President Trump’s announced intent to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. By joining the Alliance, governors commit to:

• Implement policies that advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emission by at least 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025
• Track and report progress to the global community in appropriate settings, including when the world convenes to take stock of the Paris Agreement, and
• Accelerate new and existing policies to reduce carbon pollution and promote clean energy deployment at the state and federal level.

With Michigan as its newest member, the Alliance represents nearly half of the U.S. population and an economy over $10 trillion. The climate and clean energy policies of these states will now be addressing one third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. So far, over 1.5 million renewable energy and energy efficiency jobs have been created in Alliance states, equivalent to 55 percent of all clean energy jobs in the United States.

In addition to joining the Alliance, Governor Whitmer’s suite of Executive Orders and Directives also ordered the restructuring of the Department of Environmental Quality as the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), as well as the creation of a new office of climate and energy that will work with the governor to mitigate the impacts of climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and embrace more sustainable energy solutions.

U.S. Climate Alliance Executive Director Julie Cerqueira welcomed Governor Whitmer’s announcement, noting, “Governor Whitmer has acknowledged the real risks that climate change poses to the Midwest and the economic opportunities that come with moving towards a low carbon future.  We look forward to supporting her priorities like increasing Michigan’s supply of clean electricity, modernizing its power grid, and making sure the state is at the forefront of electric vehicle technology.”

The Alliance was formed in June 2017 in response to President Trump’s announced intent to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. Each state commits to reducing their emissions in line with the U.S. target under Paris, and all have enacted new climate policy measures since joining the Alliance. In September, the Alliance announced a suite of new commitments, including the deployment of $1.4 billion to decarbonize transportation and take steps to protect natural and working lands as carbon sinks by 2020.