We Are Still In

We Are Still In
Name	We Are Still In
Formation	2017
Type	Coalition of subnational actors
Headquarters	United States
Website	(not linked)

We Are Still In is a coalition formed in 2017 of state, local, tribal, business, and academic leaders declaring continued commitment to the Paris Agreement goals. The coalition mobilized actors across the United States—including elected officials, corporations, universities, and non-profit organizations—to advance climate action after the 2016 United States presidential election and the subsequent federal withdrawal declaration. It positioned itself alongside international efforts such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Background and formation

Members coalesced in response to the 2016 United States presidential election outcome and the 2017 announcement by the Trump administration to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Initial organizers included networks tied to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Governors Association, the Business Roundtable, and environmental NGOs like the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council. Early meetings drew participation from actors connected to institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Columbia University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as corporations like Apple Inc., Microsoft, Google, Amazon (company), and Walmart. The coalition cited international precedents, referencing initiatives linked to the European Union, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the Under2 Coalition, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy.

Objectives and commitments

The coalition articulated commitments to pursue greenhouse gas reductions aligned with the Paris Agreement nationally and subnationally, endorsing pathways compatible with reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and modeling used by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Signatories committed to actions in areas addressed by the Clean Air Act, state-level renewable portfolio standards like those in California, and municipal initiatives comparable to those in New York City and Seattle. Economic framing referenced studies from institutions including the Brookings Institution, the World Resources Institute, the Rocky Mountain Institute, and the International Energy Agency.

Membership and participants

Participants included governors such as those from California, New York, and Massachusetts, mayors from Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia, tribal leaders from nations including the Navajo Nation and the Pueblo of Zuni, and county governments like King County, Washington and Cook County, Illinois. Corporate signatories included General Motors, Tesla, Inc., IKEA, Starbucks, Dow Chemical Company, Intel Corporation, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Salesforce. Academic participants encompassed institutions such as University of California, University of Michigan, Princeton University, University of Texas at Austin, and Carnegie Mellon University. Nonprofit and philanthropic entities included The Nature Conservancy, Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

Activities and initiatives

The coalition coordinated with initiatives like the Green New Deal advocacy networks, state climate plans such as AB 32 frameworks, and regional programs under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Western Climate Initiative. It produced datasets, policy briefs, and toolkits in partnership with World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Heinrich Böll Foundation, and research centers at Brookings Institution and Resources for the Future. The coalition facilitated commitments to procure renewable energy, invest in energy efficiency, and support infrastructure resilience projects similar to those funded by the Department of Energy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It engaged in public campaigns alongside media partners such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR.

Impact and reception

Observers compared the coalition’s efforts to subnational diplomacy practiced by networks like the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the Under2 Coalition, noting influence on state legislation, municipal procurement, and corporate sustainability strategies. Analyses from Pew Research Center, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, and Environmental Protection Agency data were used to evaluate progress, while think tanks like American Enterprise Institute and Center for American Progress offered differing assessments. Internationally, the coalition was cited in discussions at United Nations Climate Change Conferences and in policy dialogues involving the European Commission, China, and India.

Criticism and controversies

Critics argued the coalition’s non-federal status limited enforceability and cited tensions with federal policies under administrations such as the Trump administration and later debates during the Biden administration. Legal scholars from Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and Columbia Law School debated standing and preemption questions related to state versus federal authority. Some environmental justice organizations, including Greenpeace USA and 350.org, contended the coalition relied too heavily on corporate partners like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP whose past lobbying records were scrutinized by investigative outlets such as ProPublica and The Intercept. Labor groups including AFL–CIO and United Auto Workers engaged in nuanced critiques regarding transitions in United States energy industry jobs.

Legal and political context

The coalition operated amid legal frameworks including the Clean Power Plan litigation, cases before the United States Supreme Court, and state-level statutes such as AB 32. Interactions with federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy shaped policy options, while international law contexts involved the Paris Agreement mechanisms and reporting systems under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Political dynamics involved actors across the Democratic Party (United States), Republican Party (United States), and independent state coalitions, with advocacy intersecting oversight from legislative committees in the United States Congress.

Category:Climate change organizations in the United States