Title: Expressing support for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow and reaffirming the United States commitment to international cooperation combating climate change.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses that the House of Representatives

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 755 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 755

     Expressing support for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change 
 Conference in Glasgow and reaffirming the United States commitment to 
          international cooperation combating climate change.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2021

  Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. Keating, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Adams, Mr. 
Allred, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Bera, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. 
  Blunt Rochester, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of 
 Pennsylvania, Mr. Brown, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carson, Mr. 
Cartwright, Mr. Case, Mr. Casten, Ms. Chu, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Clark of 
  Massachusetts, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Cohen, Mr. 
Connolly, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Costa, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Crist, Ms. Davids of 
 Kansas, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. DeGette, Ms. 
 DelBene, Mrs. Demings, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Barragan, Mrs. 
Dingell, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Eshoo, 
Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Mr. Foster, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. 
Gallego, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Higgins 
  of New York, Mr. Himes, Ms. Norton, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. 
Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Kelly of 
  Illinois, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Kind, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. 
    Langevin, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mrs. Lawrence, Ms. Lee of 
California, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Levin of California, Mr. Levin of 
  Michigan, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Malinowski, Mrs. Carolyn B. 
    Maloney of New York, Ms. Manning, Ms. Matsui, Ms. McCollum, Mr. 
McEachin, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Ms. Meng, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Moore of 
   Wisconsin, Mr. Moulton, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. 
   Napolitano, Mr. Neguse, Ms. Newman, Mr. O'Halleran, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
  Panetta, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Peters, Mr. Phillips, Ms. Pingree, Ms. 
Porter, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Raskin, Miss Rice 
  of New York, Ms. Ross, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Rush, Mr. Sablan, Ms. 
Sanchez, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Sewell, 
    Mr. Sherman, Mr. Sires, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Soto, Ms. 
 Spanberger, Ms. Speier, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Stevens, Ms. Strickland, Mr. 
   Suozzi, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Takano, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. 
Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Titus, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Torres of New York, 
  Mr. Vargas, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. 
   Watson Coleman, Mr. Welch, Ms. Wild, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. 
  Wilson of Florida, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Auchincloss, and Mr. Sarbanes) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
  on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing support for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change 
 Conference in Glasgow and reaffirming the United States commitment to 
          international cooperation combating climate change.

Whereas global climate change is an immediate threat to the United States 
        national security, public health, national economy, and the legacy we 
        will leave to our children;
Whereas leaders of the world's religious communities recognize the grave threat 
        to humanity posed by climate change and our moral obligation to protect 
        the Earth and its people publicly have called upon politicians, business 
        leaders, and the faithful to take action to address climate change;
Whereas the most vulnerable communities, including communities of color, women, 
        children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, low-income 
        communities, and those with underlying health conditions, face even 
        greater health risks as a result of climate change;
Whereas the United States is already seeing climate change exacerbate extreme 
        weather events, with 2020 seeing the most active Atlantic hurricane 
        season on record with 30 named storms and six major hurricanes, the 2019 
        issuance of the first-ever Extreme Red Flag Warning for wildfires, 
        hundreds of thousands of acres in the Western United States currently or 
        recently experiencing devastating wildfires, and communities around the 
        country regularly facing ``100-Year Floods'';
Whereas there is expert-level consensus within the Federal Government, from the 
        intelligence community and Department of Defense to the Department of 
        Agriculture, Department of Transportation, and the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration, that climate change is real, currently 
        impacting the United States, and poses a dire threat to our well-being 
        and national security if left unaddressed;
Whereas, on November 23, 2018, the United States Global Change Research Program, 
        a collaboration of thirteen Federal agencies, released volume II of its 
        fourth National Climate Assessment outlining the impact climate change 
        will have on human and societal welfare, increased major severe weather 
        events, adverse impacts on national infrastructure, and significant 
        consequences for human health, in the face of Federal inaction toward 
        combating climate change;
Whereas, on August 6, 2021, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on 
        Climate Change (IPCC) released its Working Group I report which found 
        that, unless immediate and broad reductions in greenhouse gas emissions 
        are made by the international community, it will be impossible to limit 
        global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, the warming level which the 
        scientific community believes will precipitate catastrophic climate-
        related consequences;
Whereas the IPCC Working Group I report found that continued global warming will 
        cause increasingly intense rainfall, flooding, and droughts, sea levels 
        rising and more severe coastal flooding, and further melting of glaciers 
        and ice sheets;
Whereas, on September 29, 2021, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
        proposed the removal of 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered 
        and Threatened Wildlife due to extinction, listing climate change as a 
        central variable driving the increased extinction of a variety of 
        species;
Whereas, on May 6, 2019, the United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy 
        Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released its 
        updated Global Assessment, which found that approximately one million 
        species, 1 in 4, are at risk of extinction as a direct result of climate 
        change;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the 
        IPCC Working Group I report is a ``code red for humanity . . . 
        [G]reenhouse-gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning and deforestation 
        are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate 
        risk,'' and that ``[g]reenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels. 
        Extreme weather and climate disasters are increasing in frequency and 
        intensity. That is why this year's United Nations climate conference in 
        Glasgow is so important'';
Whereas the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2020, 
        released in December 2020, highlighted that, while the COVID-19 has 
        caused a slight reduction in carbon emissions, reduction targets will 
        not be met ``unless countries pursue an economic recovery that 
        incorporates strong decarbonization,'' and that ``[i]t is not too late 
        to seize future opportunities'' in order for emissions reduction targets 
        under the Paris Agreement to be met;
Whereas the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2020 also highlights the important role of 
        nature-based solutions such as large-scale landscape restoration and 
        reforestation, both in the United States and around the world, in order 
        to meet the climate goals of the Paris Agreement;
Whereas the United Nations Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation 2020 
        Annual Report highlights the critical role of continued and sustained 
        reduction in deforestation and forest degradation around the world, the 
        difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic has presented in slowing 
        deforestation, and the central role that this effort has in combating 
        climate change;
Whereas, in September 2021, the Department of Defense released its Climate 
        Adaptation Plan highlighting climate change's significant threat to 
        American national security and identifying ways climate change impacts 
        the United States defense posture, including climate-related 
        vulnerabilities of American defense installations, the role of climate 
        change as a threat multiplier driving regional conflict, the potential 
        for disruptions in the defense supply chain, and substantial ongoing 
        operational challenges due to climate change;
Whereas, in September 2021, the Department of Homeland Security released its 
        Climate Action Plan addressing climate change's impact on domestic 
        security, identifying the potential for weather events to disrupt 
        emergency communications infrastructure, the expected increasing of 
        severe domestic weather events driving loss of life and property while 
        straining Federal resources, and the potential for climate-related 
        phenomena to drive regional migration;
Whereas investing in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies is an 
        extraordinary job creation opportunity for the United States that 
        already employs more than 3 million people, with solar and wind 
        technicians being among the fastest growing jobs in the entire United 
        States economy;
Whereas the United States can lead the world in innovation and manufacturing 
        clean energy technologies, creating good-paying jobs, modernizing the 
        energy grid, and growing new companies that will be the titans of a new, 
        clean energy economy;
Whereas domestic clean energy jobs continue to be among the fastest growing 
        occupations despite a temporary setback from the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas President Joseph R. Biden announced his intent to rejoin the Paris 
        Agreement on January 20, 2021, reaffirming the United States commitment 
        to fight against climate change and to collectively work with the 
        international community toward that goal;
Whereas the Paris Agreement is an international accord that aims to limit the 
        increase in global temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius and 
        urges efforts to limit the increase to one and a half degrees Celsius 
        above preindustrial levels;
Whereas the Paris Agreement highlights the importance of environmental justice 
        and equity in our climate solutions, particularly in light of the impact 
        climate change is expected to have on vulnerable communities around the 
        globe;
Whereas 195 parties are signatories and 191 are officially party to the Paris 
        Agreement, including the largest emitters of carbon pollution, China, 
        the European Union, and India;
Whereas the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is scheduled 
        to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, between October 31 and November 12, 
        2021;
Whereas the goals of COP26 are to--

    (1) secure global net-zero by 2050 and work together to ensure the 1.5 
degrees Celsius global warming threshold is not exceeded;

    (2) facilitate all countries to protect and restore ecosystems already 
impacted by climate change, and to enhance our resiliency and adaptation 
towards the future expected impacts of climate change;

    (3) work to ensure international financial contributions toward climate 
are mobilized; and

    (4) work to finalize the Paris rulebook to make the Paris Agreement 
operational and work to accelerate global action on climate through 
mobilization of government, businesses, and civil society; and

Whereas the United States, historically as one of the world's top emitters of 
        carbon pollution, has an obligation to actively participate in global 
        efforts to curb climate change: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) applauds the Biden administration for reaffirming 
        United States commitment to the Paris Agreement specifically 
        and to our collective responsibility to globally combat climate 
        change;
            (2) encourages the Biden administration to implement 
        specific measures to ensure global climate change remains a top 
        priority for this and future administrations and to cement the 
        United States as a global leader in the fight to mitigate its 
        most severe consequences;
            (3) voices our strong commitment as legislators toward 
        achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, fulfilling 
        the forthcoming pledges from the COP26 in Glasgow, and 
        advancing other international efforts to keep global warming to 
        no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius and realize global net-zero 
        carbon emissions by 2050 using a whole-of-government approach; 
        and
            (4) recognizes the critical responsibility of the United 
        States and other developed nations to ensure all societies have 
        the capabilities to transition to a clean energy economy, the 
        resources to protect against climate-induced disasters, and the 
        necessary assistance to endure climate-related challenges to 
        food security, regional migration, and public health.
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