I sometimes wonder if things like this wasn't exactly what trump wanted. Companies, states and cities and now also individuals are chipping in to keep the Paris Climate Agreement going. The White House won't need to interfere nor spend money on it, so they're getting away reasonably easy, while the work gets done anyway.

Then again I doubt he really is that smart.

The same thing happened with Planned Parenthood funding.

Been thinking that myself. Government function gets privatized and everyone shouts, "Hooray for the billionaires!" Tho I wouldn't give Trump the credit, but the numerous little birdies whispering in his ear.

He's definitely not that smart, but pence is.

These guys are playing right out of the cheney /shrub playbook. Next up - an invasion of Iran in early 2019 to cement the flag-bot votes behind a wartime president for 2020.

Yup. Totally agree. Was the first thing I thought of. Remove the burden from the federal government and hand it over to the states/cities/communities. They want to dismantle the federal government, and this is just an obscure slimy way to shift to statism. All while everybody is outraged over the dumpsters misleading and factually incorrect statements.

Trump couldn't care less as long as he gets his minimum daily dose of adoration (or at least sycophancy). But this kind of thing does reinforce the overall Republican credo, and their encouragement is what made Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Accord politically viable.
On its face it might seem that Bloomberg's initiative is enabling their viewpoint, but remember that they really don't give a fuck whether the UN Climate Secretariat is funded or not. Meanwhile, funding the effort still contributes to a greater good, and the goal is to end up with elected leaders who are more receptive to public funding.

This right here is fucking bullshit. What this does is transfer the social costs of environmentalism to urban areas, while rural/red america keeps on doing what they're doing. Same with Planned Parenthood - urban areas are now funding services for the same rural people who said "not with my tax dollars." State rights really means "hey, you liberal cesspools, pay for my shit!"

What you're talking about here is just the usual status quo. By using his own money and encouraging others to do so Bloomberg's actually defraying those social costs. Of course this opens a whole other can of worms on public vs. private funding of vital public projects (see spazm's comment).

Maybe in the long run, but the GOP wants to eliminate medicaid and planned parenthood. Even in red states. Those funds, according to conservative thinking, should be furnished by private enterprise.

The big problem here is that some states, mostly in the red, won't do shit about climate change. The burden will be on liberal enclaves where the conservative right want's to see fail. CA, NY, etc.

I'm wondering how this plays out. Will those urban areas and liberal states be able to sustain sustainable energy and cover the cost of the transition while regulating fossil fuels? How will those states evolve and develop when other states are left to their devices with no regulation?

Bloomie will be in the mix next election.

Could be, he'd certainly be as worthy a challenge to Trump as any current Democrat hopeful. But as far as economic policy goes, Bloomie's definitely not the progressive savior we're looking for.

Credit where it's due...

for an old european as me, this is weird in a good way.