Vice President Responds To Mayor Peduto's Commitment To Paris Climate Accord
PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) – One day after Pittsburgh entered the global spotlight, Vice President Mike Pence is doubling down on the Trump Administration's commitment to keep its campaign promise of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Speaking with Robert Mangino on the KDKA Afternoon News on Friday, the Vice President said the decision is what's right for the American people.
"It was a bad deal for the American people," Pence said. "It's a bad deal for the economy."
Regarding Trump's Pittsburgh name-drop, Pence said the Administration is proud to have carried Pennsylvania in the election.
Mayor Peduto first responded to Trump's comment on Twitter, writing, "Fact: Hillary Clinton received 80% of the vote in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh stands with the world & will follow Paris Agreement."
The Vice President says of the negative response from mayors across the country:
"What President Trump decided was that this international agreement was not in the interest of the American economy, of the American people, and frankly of America's energy future. We truly do believe that we don't have to make a choice between a clean environment or advancing innovation in energy technologies and low-cost energy. We can do all of that at the same time."
Mayor Peduto announced Friday an Executive Order to further promote climate control initiatives, a move he calls the next step in a long history of the City's commitment to a greener Earth. Mayor Peduto was quick to highlight Pittsburgh's reinvention as a technology and medical innovation hub in a round of media appearances yesterday.
Pence highlighted the President's commitment to renegotiate the deal. You can check out the full interview above.
Mayor Peduto then joined Robert Mangino to respond to the Vice President.
"Even without a federal partner that would help to expedite the process and be able to revolutionize the delivery of the products and the research that would be necessary here in our own country, we'll try to do what we can as a network of cities throughout this country to be able to make sure that that promise will still have the economic benefit that the Paris Agreement had the potential for," Peduto said.
Peduto warned that we can't ignore the climate change issue. He says he's committed to moving Pittsburgh towards its future as a technological and medical research hub.
You can check out that full interview below.
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