Contact: Eben BurnhamSnyder, Senator Ed Markey, 2022242742

Scientific agreement should be matched with Congressional attention

 

WASHINGTON (September 27, 2013) - Senator Edward J. Markey (DMass) today hailed the work of the hundreds of scientists for their work on the comprehensive and unequivocal scientific report on climate change, and renewed calls for action in Congress to fight the pollution that is harming people and our planet. Today the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the latest summary and analysis of climate science, showing the true present scope and future harm from climate change.

 

Senator Markey is the lead cochair of the U.S. Senate Climate Change Clearinghouse, cochair of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, and is also Chairman of the subcommittee that handles international environmental issues for the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Markey is also coauthor of the only climate change bill to pass either chamber of Congress.

 

Below is the statement of Senator Markey:

 

"The scientists have spoken clearly, we're seeing impacts all over our planet, and now it is time for Congress to listen and reengage on the most critical issue facing our planet. 

 

"Climate change deniers in Congress have run out of excuses to support action. If Senators truly followed the science in this report, we'd have more than 95 votes for action to match the more than 95 percent certainty that we are altering our planet for the worse. Yet too many corners of our Capitol are polluted with special interest fossil fuel money that sows doubt and delays solutions.

 

"I remain optimistic that the opportunities to create jobs through clean energy and energy efficiency ultimately will outweigh the antiscience attitudes of some of my colleagues. In the meantime, the measures undertaken by the Obama administration will demonstrate that America can still lead on climate change."