In a Baltimore Sun op-ed (2017-11-22), Maryland Delegate and House Environment and Transportation Committee Vice Chair Dana Stein argued that in light of President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, Maryland should join the U.S. Climate Alliance. The Alliance is a coalition of states working to implement the Paris Accord locally. The Accord requires signing nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat climate change.

Stein noted that at the time of Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord, only two other nations were not participating – Nicaragua and Syria. Since then, Nicaragua has signed and Syria has announced its intention to sign. Stein also cited a recent reported by scientists from 13 federal agencies which concluded human activity is the dominant reason for climate change. From the op-ed:

Today, the U.S. Climate Alliance comprises a bipartisan group of 14 states — including Virginia, Delaware, New York and Connecticut — and Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, Maryland is not among them. This, despite the fact that the county executives of Baltimore County and Prince George’s County, the mayor of Baltimore, and several Maryland university presidents have committed to achieving the goals of the Paris accord.