Hawaii Passes Law Committing to Paris Climate Accord

Hawaii has become the first state to pass legislation vowing to abide by the Paris climate agreement, in defiance of President Trump’s recent decision to withdraw from the accord. The agreement, which required participating countries to pledge to cut carbon emissions, is widely seen as crucial to fighting global warming. Hawaii Gov. David Y. Ige signed two bills at a ceremony marking the occasion in Honolulu on Tuesday, with one bill aimed at reducing gas emissions in accordance with the 2015 agreement, and the other at setting up a task force to improve the state’s soil and remove carbon from the atmosphere. “Many of the greatest challenges of our day hit us first, and that means that we also need to be first when it comes to creating solutions,” Ige said. “Climate change is real, regardless of what others may say.” Several U.S. states have vowed to continue upholding the agreement despite Trump’s policy, with California, Washington, and New York among more than 10 states in the newly formed U.S. Climate Alliance.