The election results only happened last week, yet in some ways it feels like a lifetime. So much is changing in our country. However, whether we like it or not, a lot won't change around climate action unless we take a stand. Trump has stated that he wants to repeal the Paris Agreement. While an international agreement can't legally be repealed right away, it can be severely hampered.
Nevertheless, meeting the Paris Agreement goals for the US is still feasible - if the corporate and non-profit sectors lead the way, and we as individuals follow. A quick calculation shows that we could reduce U.S. emissions by about 50 percent. According to U.N. data, the U.S. accounts for close to 18 percent of global emissions - that would mean close to 10 percent of global emissions being cut. Here's how it can be achieved:
In the United States, buildings account for almost 40 percent of national carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and out-consume both the industrial and transportation sectors, according to the US Green Building Council. Transportation accounts for approximately 26 percent, according to the EPA, and power plants and industry make up the remainder. Significant emissions reductions could be accomplished by focusing on the existing building stock, without including emissions from the transportation and industry sectors. Here are three important steps the commercial sector can take, and we can support:
If you add the first two steps - 12 percent energy efficiency performance improvements plus 39 percent from solar installations - this equals a whopping 51 percent reduction in emissions, well above the 26 to 28 percent reduction by 2025 called for in the Paris Agreement. This may seem wild, but it's not so far-fetched. We just have to start taking action today - and we don't need Trump's government support to do it.
It takes you and I, and others like us to take initiative and leadership in the organizations we work for and with, share these ideas and be a champion. It takes a personal commitment and courage to take action at work and at home. Every action each of us takes makes a difference - and inaction does as well, as we saw from the results of this election. If we don't act, we are setting ourselves and future generations up for failure.