Chairman Urges U.S. Not to Take a Backseat on Climate Change
(Washington, DC) The Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) today issued the following statement on the upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Bali.
World representatives will gather on the Indonesian island this weekend to begin discussions on a new climate change convention to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Committee representatives will be on hand in Bali as observers.
In February of this year, Chairman Gordon’s Committee was the first Congressional body to hear directly from the IPCC authors on their climate change findings. The Committee also hosted Vice President Gore at a hearing in March, and continues to play a key role in Congressional efforts to combat climate change.
Chairman Gordon commented today:
“As my Committee has discovered first hand, the groundbreaking efforts of the IPCC over the past year has provided us with greater knowledge, tools and proof than ever before to combat this alarming climate change phenomenon.
Last month, the IPCC completed its 4th Assessment Report when governments agreed to the Summary report in Spain. Their work has provided us with substantial evidence that climate change is underway and that if we fail to take action the consequences could be very serious, especially for our children and grandchildren and their future.
By focusing on long-term, voluntary, ‘aspirational goals,’ the current Administration’s policy on climate change puts the U.S. on course to take a backseat in combating the climate crisis – and that’s not a role I’m comfortable with.
The conference in Bali is critical to the development of a cohesive world-wide response to the threat posed by climate change. It is our chance as a global community to establish a clear roadmap for future action.
The U.S. has led the world through other tough challenges. I am confident that if we apply our entrepreneurial spirit and innovative skills to this problem, we can lead the world to a solution on climate change.”
For more information on the Committee’s work on climate change, click here.
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