The US Climate Alliance, a net zero-focused group of 24 U.S. state governors, announced the publication of a letter to UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, indicating that they plan to remain committed to the U.S.’ Paris Agreement goals, despite President Trump’s announced withdrawal from the international climate accord.

The letter, signed by Alliance co-Chairs New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, pledged that the states “will continue America’s work to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and slash climate pollution,” noting that they “have broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to protect our progress and advance the climate solutions we need.” The Governors added, “this does not change with a shift in federal administration.”

The letter follows an executive order signed by Trump on the day of his inauguration earlier this week, ordering the U.S. to notify the UN of the U.S.’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the landmark multi-nation pact developed by parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to combat climate change. The agreement’s main goal is to limit the global temperature increase in this century to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to work toward limiting the increase to 1.5 degrees.

A vast majority of countries have signed onto the agreement, and the U.S. is the only country to have withdrawn.

The executive order marks the second time that the U.S. has exited the agreement, following Trump’s withdrawal from the accord in his first term. The U.S. Climate Alliance was initially formed in 2017, following Trump’s announcement of his initial plans to exit the agreement, although the U.S. did not formally leave the accord until late in his first term.

In the letter, the governor’s pledged to continue working towards the U.S.’ Paris Agreement goals, including its targets to reduce GHG emissions at least 50% -52% by 2030, on a 2005 basis, and by 61% – 66% by 2035.

The 2035 goal was launched by President Biden in the last weeks of his term, with administration officials at the time expressing confidence in the ability to reach the target even in the face of the incoming Trump administration, driven by the investments already put in place over the past four years, and by action at the state and local levels.

The Alliance governors also said that their states were collectively on track to meet the interim goal of reducing GHG emissions by 26% by 2025, and outlined policies and programs being implemented to reach their future targets, including statewide carbon markets, clean energy standards, methane reduction programs for the oil and gas, waste, and agricultural sectors, and major investments to reduce pollution and expand clean energy capacity.

The letter added:

“It’s critical for the international community to know that climate action will continue in the U.S. The Alliance will bring this message to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year – just as we have at every COP since our coalition’s founding – as we work to implement our climate goals.”