One of the agricultural industry’s leading certifiers in conservation and sustainability practices claims the Trump Administration’s indication the US will pull out of the Paris Agreement threatens Americans’ health livelihoods, and will profoundly and negatively affect people around the world.
Rainforest Alliance president Nigel Sizer likened the move to a “criminal action” given the deeply harmful impacts it could have on current and future generations.
“Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human civilisation. That is not in question. To tear up the US’s commitment to climate action, as President Trump indicates he will decide to do, is more than irresponsible—it verges on criminal, and will be noted as one of the low points in US policymaking for decades to come,” Sizer said.
“It also does not reflect the views of the American people—70 percent of Americans believe global warming is happening right now.”
The Rainforest Alliance will continue its mission to reduce the effects of climate change by building climate resilience in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions through forest conservation and sustainable agriculture.
The Rainforest Alliance was formed 30 years ago to address the growing crisis of deforestation. Today it works across the globe to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practises, business practises, and consumer behaviour.
The Rainforest Alliance supports a landscape-level to sustainable development, working closely with communities to establish sustainable livelihoods that conserve forests and biodiversity.
To date, the group has trained 1.25 million people in sustainable land management, resulting in the earth-friendly management of more than 100 million acres.
