The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution this past week to commit to the Paris Climate Agreement, a week after President Trump announced his plans for the U.S. to withdraw from the agreement.
The supervisors were joined by Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton, who signed two letters in support of the Paris Accord. Iowa City’s independent commitment to upholding the agreement, in defiance of Trump’s plans for the federal government, is only one example of the multitude of cities and states that have vowed to follow the agreement. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s tweet rebuking Trump’s “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris” statement was just the beginning: “Fact: Hillary Clinton received 80 percent of the vote in the city. Pittsburgh stands with the world & will follow Paris Agreement.”
While the commitment by local governments is encouraging in the continual fight to combat climate change worldwide, it is also perhaps representative of the single most important thing that Trump has overlooked during his campaign and time in the White House: the power of local and state governments to defy him. This is, in a sense, the very definition of “power to the people.” The Daily Iowan Editorial Board believes that such state and local defiance of Trump’s harmful decisions is not only beneficial, it is necessary. The Editorial Board commends the supervisors and Throgmorton in their reaffirmations to sustainability, and it encourages all city and state governments to do the same.
The supervisors’ resolution notes that the county has worked to combat climate change for nearly a decade and that it will continue to do so. Efforts such as adding nearly 405 kilowatts of renewable solar energy and adopting the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration in 2007 are recognized as some of the many strides made over the past 10 years. One can only hope that such endeavors will be continued.
It is also worth noting that as progressive as the county and Iowa City are in regard to sustainability and environmentalism, more can always be done. As it is right now, many apartment complexes in Iowa City do not offer recycling services, and considering how many students live here, it would surely go a long way in expanding the city’s current recycling efforts.
Along with recognizing how many students populate Iowa City, it is necessary to recognize that the University of Iowa is the largest employer in the state of Iowa and an economic and cultural force in the area. It is crucial that sustainability efforts at the university continue to grow in the future. In February, UI President Bruce Harreld announced that the campus would be coal-free by 2025, something that is absolutely critical if the county is in fact going to remain at the forefront of combating climate change in Iowa.
In the meantime, holding more events for people to donate old items that cannot be recycled curbside and encouraging reusable bags and recycling among local businesses would be beneficial. Despite what he may think, Trump does not have the power to turn the American people into climate-change deniers and ignorers. It is on state and local governments, then, to influence change.
