President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord has prompted local governments and businesses to work together to protect the environment, according to a staff report from Knowledge@Wharton.

The Paris accord was signed by 195 countries in 2015. It aims to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial times. Already, mayors in almost 300 cities across a dozen states have reaffirmed their dedication to reducing fossil fuel emissions, with or without the federal government.

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Big business has also taken a leadership role in this process, with companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Target pledging to work toward reaching the metrics set in the Paris agreement. However, the issue is whether state and local governments can fill the void created on the federal level, or if this will be left to businesses.

Eric W. Orts, professor of legal studies and business ethics and faculty director of the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership at Wharton, feels this is clearly a job for both entities.

“The Paris agreement in fact contemplates a need for business and consumers, as well as government and citizens, to step up to the plate and contribute solutions.”

Read more about climate change at Knowledge@Wharton by clicking here.

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