State leaders and members of the scientific community are expressing concern after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. At a White House press conference Thursday, the President said the U.S. would exit the 190-nation agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The only other nations that remain outside of the agreement are Nicaragua and Syria.
In Rhode Island, critics of the president’s decision argue that rejecting the international agreement could have detrimental effects on regional fisheries, which are already affected by climate change.
“Changes in the fisheries have been observed in recent times, including a decrease in lobster,” said Bruce Corliss, Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. “These changes can result from a number of factors, but certainly climate change is one that may have an influence.”
And Corliss adds that greenhouse gas emissions have already changed ecosystems in Narraganset Bay. Warmer water temperatures are just one example of the impact. Scientists have documented other changes in oceans here and across the globe.
“A good example of that is ocean acidification, which is a great concern,” said Corliss. “The change in ocean chemistry will affect the organisms in the ocean. We’re seeing that with coral reefs and other organisms.”
Corliss says if more isn’t done to slow down climate change, erosion of beaches because of rising sea levels is also projected to worsen.
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, released a statement expressing her disappointment in President Trump’s decision to exit the agreement. Raimondo has made a push to create more clean energy jobs in the state, and has set clean energy goals for Rhode Island.
“President Trump’s action will not deter Rhode Island from taking necessary steps to address climate change,” said Raimondo. “Our action at the state level will create new jobs and attract new investment in the green economy.”
Rhode Island’s congressional delegation was also critical of the president’s decision.
“There is no denying the growing threat of rising seas, warming global temperatures, and melting glaciers and ice sheets,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island’s junior senator. The Democrat is a vocal environmental advocate in Congress, and sits on several environmental Senate committees. Whitehouse said the worst of climate change can be avoided if carbon emissions are reduced.
