Washington (June 29, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Climate Clearinghouse, released the following statement today after President Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto announced several new environmental and climate initiatives at the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa, Canada, including meeting the goal of 50 percent of North American energy coming from renewable energy sources by 2025.

“Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, the United States, Canada and Mexico are already feeling the impacts of climate change. Sea-level rise now means that every storm brings greater danger for our coastal cities. Rising temperatures increase the public health risks of heat waves and air pollution. Changes in snow and rain patterns create a climate paradox, increasing the risk of both droughts and floods in parts of our nations.

“But North America has bountiful resources to power clean energy – from the winds that blow across our prairies and along our coasts, to the sun that shines on our roofs and in the deserts, and even the Earth’s own geothermal heat.

“The historic Paris climate agreement united the countries of the world in action on climate change. To achieve its goals, all countries of the world will need to do more individually and collectively. Building on efforts already underway in our three countries with leaders committed to taking action on climate change, North America can demonstrate how nations working together can achieve even greater carbon pollution reductions, grow our economies and create jobs.”