Delaware and Virginia join states in Paris climate goal coalition

(AP/WMDT) – Delaware and Virginia will be joining a coalition of states that are committing to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Gov. John Carney announced Monday that Delaware will join the United States Climate Alliance. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Virginia will also be joining.

Carney, a Democrat, says Delaware is the United States' lowest-lying state. He says its 381 miles of coastline put Delaware are risk of permanent inundation.

As of Monday afternoon, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont have additionally joined the alliance.

The alliance was started by the governors of California, New York and Washington. The effort comes a week after Republican President Donald Trump said he is withdrawing the United States from the Paris compact, an agreement involving nearly 200 nations aimed at slowing the warming of the planet.