The American Institute of Architects has called for Donald Trump to reverse his "shortsighted decision" to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement amid the global climate crisis.
AIA president William Bates issued a statement on Tuesday 5 November, the day after the US president notified the United Nations of America's withdrawal.
"The AIA deplores the administration's shortsighted decision," said Bates.
"The economic impact to the United States as a participant in the Paris Agreement is a fraction of the toll we will pay if we do not make climate action a top priority as a nation," he added.
The 2015 Paris Agreement was developed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to commit the world's nations to actions that could reduce global warming. It was signed by 195 countries in 2016 including America, which was administered by Barack Obama at the time. The AIA hopes Trump will reverse the action ahead of November 2020, which is the earliest date that the country can leave due to strict guidelines. "The stakes couldn't be higher ? a reversal of this decision is critical," Bates added.
"Abdication undermines nation's credibility on global stage"
The call-to-action forms part of a fraught relationship between the AIA and Trump with the two coming to disagreements over America's role in the global climate crisis.
The AIA condemned the president in 2017 when his intention to withdraw from the Paris ...