U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, recently returned from the annual United Nations climate conference, COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Alongside a Senate delegation, Carper highlighted the significant climate progress that the United States has made in recent years.
During the conference, Carper emphasized the actions taken by the United States to combat climate change. He mentioned the passage of key legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. These measures demonstrate the country's commitment to reducing emissions and leading by example.
"As the largest historic emitter, the United States has an obligation to significantly reduce our emissions and lead by example, which I can proudly say we are now doing," said Senator Carper. "COP28 was an opportunity to show the rest of the world how our nation is tackling climate change from our largest sources of emissions, including the transportation and power sectors, while helping to create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs. We made it clear that the United States is not walking away from the climate fight anytime soon."
Carper also expressed his priorities following COP28, which include overseeing the implementation of recent climate and clean energy wins. He plans to advance bipartisan legislation to strengthen the nation's nuclear industry, confirm nominees who share their goals, and work with the Biden Administration to identify further opportunities to address the climate crisis.
During their time at COP28, the Senators received briefings from U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and State Department officials. They also engaged in discussions on infrastructure resiliency, global methane reductions, and clean trade and supply chains. The delegation met with foreign delegations from Ukraine, the European Union, Japan, and others, furthering the United States' commitment to international collaboration on climate action.
Senator Carper concluded by stating, "The climate crisis is a challenge that should unite us all, and I remain optimistic about the opportunity to make progress over the next year."
The United States' participation in COP28 and Carper's emphasis on the country's climate progress send a strong message to the international community that the U.S. is dedicated to addressing the climate crisis and leading the global efforts to combat it.
To learn more, click on this link: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases-democratic?ID=408C162C-7416-4173-9DDC-5A7A83E903DE
