; Whereas the United States can lead the world in innovation and manufacturing clean energy technologies, creating good-paying jobs, modernizing the energy grid, and growing new companies that will be the titans of a new clean energy economy; Whereas leaders of the world’s religious communities recognize the grave threat to humanity posed by climate change and our moral obligation to protect the earth and its people publicly have called upon politicians, business leaders, and the faithful to take action to address climate change; Whereas the Paris Agreement is an international accord that aims to limit the increase in global temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius and urges efforts to limit the increase to one and a half degrees Celsius by 2100; Whereas the Paris Agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, opened for signature on April 22, 2016, and entered into force on November 4, 2016; Whereas 195 parties, including the largest emitters of carbon pollution—China, the European Union, and India—have signed the Paris Agreement; Whereas United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement reneges on our commitment to the global community to fulfill our responsibility as a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and as a major emitter of carbon pollution to reduce our emissions; Whereas the United States exit from the Paris Agreement will cede leadership on clean energy technologies, and the jobs they create, to China and other nations; Whereas in an open letter to President Trump, Members of Congress, and global leaders, more than 1,000 companies and investors expressed support for United States participation in the Paris Agreement and for upholding our commitment to cut carbon emissions in order to create jobs and boost our economic competitiveness