Historic convening will begin in California this week to highlight local and state efforts to combat climate change
Washington (September 12, 2018) – Today, the Senate Climate Change Task Force and the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) joined together to praise the co-chairs of the Global Climate Action Summit in California for the goals of the San Francisco Summit, as well as to reaffirm their commitment to fighting for climate policies in Congress. The Senate Climate Change Task Force is chaired by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). The House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition is led by co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Gerry Connolly, and Paul Tonko and Vice-Chairs Reps. Matt Cartwright, Jared Polis, Chellie Pingree, Alan Lowenthal and Mike Quigley. More than sixty members of Congress joined together to send this letter.
“We are encouraged by the actions at the state and local levels and from the business and investor communities to address climate change,” write the members of Congress in their letter. “Leadership across all parts of our society will enable us to stay within reach of the emissions reductions we need to honor our international climate commitments and fulfill the promise we made to the world through the Paris Agreement.
“Here in Congress, we will continue to work towards comprehensive federal policies that reduce carbon emissions to meet our climate goals ... We look forward to working with you to protect current and future generations from the risks of a changing climate, and to usher in a new era of economic opportunity through the transition to a clean energy future.”
A copy of the letter can be found HERE.
Since the Trump administration announced its intention to withdraw the United States from Paris climate agreement, California Governor Jerry Brown has been leading state and local leaders in a national effort to reduce carbon pollution and ensure the United States reach its emissions reductions goals. Sixteen states and Puerto Rico have committed to implementing the goals of the Paris agreement and will cut greenhouse gas pollution 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. Those states represent forty percent of the U.S. population and nine trillion dollars of economic activity. More than 100 cities and twenty states have set greenhouse gas emission targets. In total, one-third of greenhouse gas emission and more than half of the U.S. economy remains committed to the Paris agreement.
Senators signing the letter include Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
Members of the House of Representatives signing the letter include Matsui, Connelly, Tonko, Lowenthal, Quigley, Cartwright, Polis, Pingree, Wasserman-Schultz, Barragán, Carbajal, Beyer, Huffman, Jayapal, McNerney, Clarke, Grijalva, Tsongas, Welch, Meeks, McEachin, Doggett, Castor, Pocan, Sires, Pallone, Krishnamoorthi, Schakowsky, Gabbard, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Cleaver, Keating, Lieu, Garamendi, Smith, Larsen, Dingell, Heck, Speier, Eshoo, Blumenauer, Davis, DeSaulnier, McCollum, Soto, Hanabusa, Peters, Bonamici, Luján, Lewis, and Higgins.
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