III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 342 

Expressing the need for immediate climate action in response to the report 

of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change entitled ‘‘Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. 

BOOKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the need for immediate climate action in response 

to the report of the United Nations Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change entitled ‘‘Special Report on 

the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate’’. 

Whereas every person on the planet benefits from a healthy 

ocean and a stable cryosphere; 

Whereas the ocean covers more than 70 percent of the surface of the Earth; 

Whereas the cryosphere includes the frozen components of 

the system of the Earth, including snow, glaciers, ice 

sheets, ice shelves, icebergs, sea ice, and permafrost; 


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•SRES 342 IS 

Whereas glaciers, ice sheets, and permanent snow hold approximately 69 percent of the freshwater on Earth; 

Whereas the ocean generates the oxygen that humans 

breathe, regulates the climate and weather patterns, supplies food, is a source of cultural value, supports tourism 

and trade, and is an untapped renewable energy resource; 

Whereas the ocean contributes an estimated 

$1,500,000,000,000 in value added to the global economy, including a United States fishing industry valued at 

$212,000,000,000, which is a critical economic driver in 

the United States; 

Whereas the ocean and cryosphere support biodiversity and 

regulate the global exchange of water, energy, and carbon; 

Whereas, on September 25, 2019, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report 

entitled ‘‘Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in 

a Changing Climate’’ (in this preamble referred to as the 

‘‘SROCC’’); 

Whereas the SROCC is the most comprehensive scientific assessment of the effects of climate change on the ocean 

and coasts and on polar and mountain ecosystems to 

date; 

Whereas more than 100 scientists from 36 countries produced the SROCC, and the SROCC was reviewed by 

thousands of scientific experts from around the world; 

Whereas, according to the SROCC— 

(1) since 1970, the ocean has taken up more than 

90 percent of excess heat in the climate system, and the 

ocean has warmed as a direct result of anthropogenic 

greenhouse gas emissions; 


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•SRES 342 IS 

(2) from 1982 to 2016, marine heatwaves very likely 

doubled in frequency, and marine heatwaves are very 

likely to become longer-lasting, more intense, and more 

extensive; 

(3) since 1993, the rate of ocean warming has more 

than doubled; 

(4) since the 1980s, the ocean has very likely absorbed up to 30 percent of total anthropogenic carbon, 

causing the ocean to become more acidic; 

(5) the ocean is losing oxygen at an unprecedented 

rate, and oxygen loss will very likely emerge over 59 to 

80 percent of the ocean surface by 2031 through 2050; 

(6) since the 1980s, harmful algal blooms have expanded and increased in frequency in coastal environments as a result of ocean warming, acidification, and oxygen loss; 

(7) in some regions, fish and shellfish stocks are already on the brink of collapsing; 

(8) environmental stressors, such as ocean acidification, oxygen loss, and warming ocean temperatures, are 

expected to further compromise the abundance, productivity, and food-web interactions of species; 

(9) the decrease in biodiversity and decline and 

shifts in distribution of fisheries will affect the livelihoods 

and food security of coastal communities; 

(10) warmer ocean temperatures are fueling extreme 

weather events; 

(11) rare extreme sea level events are expected to 

occur frequently by 2050; 

(12) in the absence of significant adaptation efforts, 

extreme events associated with sea level rise, such as erosion, flooding, and salinization, are expected to significantly increase; 


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•SRES 342 IS 

(13) during the 20th century, nearly 50 percent of 

coastal wetlands were lost, and 20 to 90 percent of coastal wetlands are projected to be lost by 2100 as a result 

of sea level rise and habitat degradation; 

(14) coastal blue carbon ecosystems can contribute 

to climate mitigation by storing carbon; 

(15) river runoff in snow-dominated and glacier-fed 

basins are projected to change in response to projected 

snow cover and glacier decline; 

(16) glacial and snow meltwater reductions have resulted in reduced water supply, declined agriculture productivity, and increased wildfires in mountain regions 

and the Arctic; 

(17) tourism and outdoor recreation activities have 

been negatively affected by the cryosphere decline; 

(18) Arctic sea ice is declining in all months of the 

year and summers free of sea ice are increasingly likely 

under 2 degrees Celsius of global warming; 

(19) in the last 2 decades, Arctic surface air temperatures have likely increased by more than double the 

global average, resulting in more sea ice and snow cover 

loss; and 

(20) widespread thaw and degradation of permafrost 

is projected to occur this century and is anticipated to release tens to hundreds of billions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere; 

Whereas the United States is already facing the consequences 

of inaction on climate change; 

Whereas communities of color, indigenous communities, and 

low-income communities often face the disproportionate 

effects of inaction on climate change; 


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•SRES 342 IS 

Whereas reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to 

a clean energy economy, and investing in climate adaptation efforts can support good-paying jobs; 

Whereas, in 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change released a special report entitled ‘‘Global Warming of 1.5° C’’, which found that to 

limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, net global 

greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to 45 percent 

below 2010 levels by 2030 and 100 percent below 2010 

levels, or net zero, by 2050; and 

Whereas, as Congress enacts policies to put the United States 

on a path to net-zero emissions, there is an opportunity 

and need for the ocean to be part of the climate solution: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes and accepts the findings of the 

3 report of the United Nations Intergovernmental 

4 Panel on Climate Change entitled ‘‘Special Report 

5 on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Cli6 mate’’; 

7 (2) commits to supporting ocean-centric solu8 tions to the climate crisis in conjunction with poli9 cies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and 

10 (3) affirms that immediate action is needed to 

11 reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect the 

12 health of the ocean and the stability of the 

13 cryosphere. 

Æ 


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