Mayor Catherine Pugh, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz joined a host of national dignitaries by signing the “We Are Still In” pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emission in Maryland as detailed in the Paris climate change agreement.

The coalition, led by philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, is an “open letter to the international community” from local and national leaders declaring to continue the fight against global warming. This comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s June 1 announcement to remove the United States from the agreement of 194 nations to work to hold the warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.

President Trump argues that the deal, as is, “hamstrings” the U.S. and said he plans to pursue renegotiation in an effort to make things “fair” for the country.

“In order to fulfill my solemn duty to the United States and its citizens, the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, but begin negotiations to re-enter either the Paris accords or a really entirely new transaction, on terms that are fair to the United States,” Trump said at a press conference.

As of June 9, there are 178 cities and counties, 272 colleges and universities, and more than 1,300 private companies that have committed to “working together to take forceful action and to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing emissions.”

The U.S. is the second largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, and now joins Syria and Nicaragua as the only countries refusing to commit to the agreement. Although there is no penalty for withdrawing, the details of the agreement signed in 2015 by President Barack Obama, says that the earliest any country is eligible to withdraw is November 2020.

Among the list of private companies joining the “We Are Still In” pledge is Under Armour. One day after Trump’s announcement, CEO Kevin Plank released a statement asserting his disappointment with the decision.

“Climate change is real and must be taken seriously by our business community, our customers, our neighbors, and our elected officials,” he said. “Sustainability has always been part of our DNA: it’s integral to how we live and work and is essential to our environment. As a business leader concerned with creating American jobs, I disagree with the decision to exit the Paris accord.”

The impact on local jobs is also something that concerns Carl Simon, the interim executive director at environmental nonprofit Blue Water Baltimore. 

“The economic future of Baltimore is supported, strengthened, and enhanced by focusing on the rapidly growing renewable energy sector,” he explained. “There are thousands of jobs that could be, and are being, created due to strong environmental policies.”

He also added that climate change is an especially oppressing issue for a coastal city like Baltimore.

“Factually, the rate of flooding here is increased due to climate change,” he said. “Science shows the Inner Harbor, Dundalk, and other coastal parts of Baltimore flood more than they used to due to manmade climate change.”

Mayor Pugh said that Baltimore City would adopt a Climate Action Plan and Disaster Preparedness Plan that will focus on lowering the city’s impact on the environment.

“Our diverse natural ecosystems, including the Chesapeake Bay, are in serious jeopardy, yet remain the lifeblood of our region and the viability of our communities,” she said in a statement. “My endorsement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including goal thirteen, which specifically addresses climate action related to greenhouse gas reduction, recognizes the complexity of these challenges. As a city we cannot ignore the urgency of these issues.”

Kamenetz said he has been proactively taking steps to conserve energy in Baltimore County, converting traffic signals to LED bulbs, and using GPS routing programs for county fleet vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. He’d like to see the powers that be follow suit.

“I’m disturbed by Trump, but even more disturbed that Governor Hogan continues to remain silent,” he said. “I appreciate that he has accepted the general assembly initiatives to reduce energy, but by supporting the alliance, it would strengthen the commitment.”

Kevin Plank seals MLB uniform deal at winter meetings.
Though it was confirmed in October that Under Armour will take over for Majestic Athletic as the official on-field uniform provider for Major League Baseball in 2020, the 10-year deal was inked on Monday at winter meetings. In the agreement, Under Armour will supply all 30 MLB clubs with uniforms for 10 years and its partner, Fanatics, will have licensing rights to manufacture and distribute gear.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Plank called the deal “a massive statement for our company. This deal for us is one where we really get to lock arms, dig our heels in and say we’re going to fight for this sport.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is hoping that the UA deal will strike a chord with younger sports fans, getting them engaged in the game of baseball.

“When we started talking about this deal with the owners, one of the single biggest themes that came back from them was they wanted the game associated with a young brand,” Manfred said. “To grow the game with young people, you have to have athletes and products young people want to wear, and we think Under Armour is uniquely situated to provide those products.”

One major difference that the Baltimore-based athletic apparel company has already announced is that its logo will appear on the front of the uniforms, as opposed to the sleeves where Majestic was positioned. Some fans aren’t so happy about this move and one website, Uni Watch, did some quick PhotoShop work to envision what the future uniforms might look like.

Army vs. Navy game this weekend will host a special guest.
In a tradition dating back to 1901, President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the 117th Army-Navy football game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. “In keeping with a time-honored tradition, he will spend half of the game on the Army side and then half on the Navy side, who will win their 15th straight game, I’m sure,” Sean Spicer, communications director for the Republican National Committee (and a member of the Navy Reserves since 1999), told The Washington Post.

Though presidents from Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman to John F. Kennedy up through Barack Obama have watched the two military rivals face off, this is the first time in which a President-elect has attended the game.

We’re wondering if President-elect Trump has heard the news that the Baltimore City Council voted unanimously to condemn statements made by him in the council’s first official act. The resolution formally opposed Trump’s “divisive and scapegoating rhetoric, rooted in hate and prejudice.”

Can we say awkward?