Back in February, Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended his decision to stay on President Donald Trump’s business advisory council after facing a barrage of criticism, including from customers who claimed to have canceled their Model 3 orders. His reasoning was that there needed to be more moderate voices advising Trump on issues such as climate change and clean energy. Now with the president reportedly on the verge of pulling out of the landmark Paris climate agreement, it appears that Musk has had enough of Trump — threatening on Twitter to quit the two advisory councils he sits on (business and manufacturing jobs) if the president abandons the Paris accord.
Trump is announcing on Thursday his decision about whether to keep the United States in the global pact, with a source saying he intends to exit the accord. If the US does withdraw from the Paris accord, it would join Syria and Nicaragua as the world’s only non-participants in the agreement signed by 195 nations and so far ratified by 147 parties. The agreement to significantly reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions entered into force on November 4, 2016.
Related: Elon Musk says Trump administration may be “positive on renewables”
Don't know which way Paris will go, but I've done all I can to advise directly to POTUS, through others in WH & via councils, that we remain
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2017
Will have no choice but to depart councils in that case
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2017
Musk is joining other corporate CEOs in a last-minute push to convince the president not to cede US leadership on climate. The list includes Tim Cook of Apple Inc., Dow Chemical Co.’s Andrew Liveris, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Jamie Dimon and General Electric Co.’s Jeffrey Immelt. Twenty-five companies, including Intel and Microsoft, signed onto a letter published as a full-page ad in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
“By expanding markets for innovative clean technologies, the agreement generates jobs and economic growth,” the letter reads. “U.S. companies are well positioned to lead in these markets. Withdrawing from the agreement will limit our access to them and could expose us to retaliatory measures.”
Via LA Times
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