Starbucks, Gap, and Nike warn that Trump may put 'American prosperity at risk'

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howard schultz starbucks

Yuriko Nakao/Reuters

Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz

Starbucks, Nike, Gap, and hundreds of other businesses have signed an open letter to president-elect Donald Trump urging him not to repeal key policies that protect against global warming.

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"We want the US economy to be energy efficient and powered by low-carbon energy," the letter reads. "Failure to build a low-carbon economy puts American prosperity at risk."

More than 300 companies signed the letter, requesting that Trump continue policies that regulate carbon emissions and move forward with implementing the Paris Climate Agreement - a non-binding treaty between the US and more than 100 other countries to reduce greenhouse gases.

Trump has advocated for the US to pull out of the agreement. He has also referred to climate change as a "hoax" perpetrated by China to make US manufacturing non-competitive.

But many businesses disagree, according to the letter.

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Barry Parkin, chief sustainability officer at Mars Incorporated, released a statement on the letter saying: "This is an important moment in global political and economic history, and we absolutely must come together to solve the immense challenges facing the planet. Climate change, water scarcity and deforestation are serious threats to society."

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