Matt Brolley: Supporting climate pact the right thing for Montgomery

As an engineer, I am trained to look at facts and use science to make decisions. As such, I can tell you that climate change is real, it is happening, and it is affecting all of us. One needs to look no further than Harvey, or Irma, or the wildfires spreading across the Western United States. What was once a theoretical future is now here, and we can expect more and stronger storms, rising seas, droughts and wildfires.

We must act to deal with climate change, not just the effects, but also the causes. Toward that goal, the Paris Climate Agreement was a step in the right direction when it comes to addressing climate change. The non-binding agreement set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the rise in average global temperatures. In 2015, 195 countries – from established industrial nations to those in the developing world – all signed on to this historic agreement.

But Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of this agreement was a historically bad decision that ignores science and abdicates America’s leadership role in the world. It left only the United States and Syria on one side of the debate, and the rest of the world on the other. This decision sends the message to other countries that we are not a willing partner in the fight against climate change. As the second-largest producer of greenhouse gasses, we can’t leave it up to other countries to solve a problem that we are also causing. Furthermore, America will no longer have a seat at the table when decisions are made, leaving countries like Russia and China to fill the leadership void – countries that are not looking out for our best interests.

It would be easy to say that this issue can only be addressed by electing a new president who will support the agreement. Unfortunately, climate change won’t wait for our political system, so something has to be done now.

That is why as mayor of Montgomery, I am joining the climate mayors, a group of nearly 400 mayors across the country – representing nearly 70 million people – who have agreed to adopt and uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement locally, even if our federal government will not. These goals are first to develop a Greenhouse Gas inventory, so that we know the extent of our carbon footprint. Second, to set near and long-term targets to reduce emissions. And finally, to develop an action plan to achieve these targets.

My role as mayor is not the only place that I am going to push for these principles. I also represent Kane and Kendall counties on the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and will ask this organization to also look at adopting the Paris Agreement goals.

As a mayor, I am bound to do what is in the best interest of the residents of the village of Montgomery. That is what I am doing by signing on to the Paris Agreement locally. It’s a message to everyone that yes, climate change is real and cannot be denied, and that we have to start dealing with it now. If our national leaders won’t, our local leaders must.

• Matt Brolley is the Montgomery village president.