Safe Climate Caucus Co-Chairs’ Statement and Resolution on the Two-Year Anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement

Dec 12, 2017
Press Release

December 12, 2017 (Washington, D.C.) – Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA), co-chairs of the Congressional Safe Climate Caucus, today issued the following statement on their introduction of a resolution celebrating the second anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement:

“Two years after the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, climate change remains a huge threat to the planet and the human race, but Donald Trump isn’t taking that threat seriously. The Paris Climate Agreement represents the best opportunity for the global community to prevent climate change’s devastating impacts on our communities, our economies, and our environment. This anniversary is a stark reminder of the direction the Trump Administration has chosen: a path abandoned, leadership abdicated, and work unfinished.

“We cannot let one politically-motivated decision rooted in ignorance detour us from the task at hand. Every other country in the world has indicated their support for the Paris Agreement, and we are seeing tremendous strides being made on the local and state levels to reduce carbon pollution and enhance climate resiliency. On the two-year anniversary of this monumental accord, the Safe Climate Caucus will continue pushing for action on climate.”

The resolution, cosponsored by 22 members of the Safe Climate Caucus, urges the Trump Administration not to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.  It also supports global efforts to keep warming under 2 degrees Celsius, efforts to protect vulnerable populations from the impacts of climate change, and policies at the Federal, State, and local level that promote reductions in carbon pollution. Text of the resolution can be viewed here.