It would be a "tragic mistake" for President-elect Donald Trump to withdraw from the Paris climate accord says billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer.
In an interview Sunday on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS," Steyer, who spent millions to support progressive causes in this year's election, said a retreat would put American leadership in jeopardy for "short-term political gain."
The agreement, signed by 195 countries, was made in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.
The remarks start about the 2:54-minute mark.
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"For us to take out leadership of the world and throw it out the window is a tragic mistake," Steyer declared.
With Trump elected to the White House, Steyer said, people around the world are looking to the Chinese government and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for "leadership of the world."
He also pushed back at the "myth" that clean energy doesn't create as many jobs as fossil fuel industries.
"There are fewer than 75,000 coal miners" in the country, but "550,000 working in clean energy, he said. "Clean energy creates a lot more jobs. There is a myth that we will be more prosperous by going backwards."
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