image description

Delaney: Pulling Out of Paris Climate Accord Undermines American Leadership, Threatens Future

May 31st, 2017 by WCBC Radio

 Multiple reports have indicated that President Trump will withdraw the United States the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The President tweeted today that he will make his final decision soon. The agreement has been ratified by 147 nations to date and focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a target of holding global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. If the United States withdraws, it will join just Syria and Nicaragua as non-participants.

“Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords would put the United States on the sidelines of one of the defining issues of this century. To even flirt with such a decision is a shocking abdication of leadership. This is pretty much the opposite of putting America first,” said Congressman Delaney. “Unchecked climate change threatens our public health, our environment, our economy and our national security. Instead of leaving the Paris Accord, we should be leading the global push for further action on climate, starting with implementing a carbon tax domestically. My Tax Pollution, Not Profits Act would dramatically reduce carbon emissions, use market forces to create new alternative energy jobs, help businesses compete and provide massive benefits to impacted coal industry workers.”

Congressman Delaney’s Tax Pollution, Not Profits Act, establishes a tax on carbon pollution and uses the revenues raised to 1) provide monthly payments to low-income and middle-class households 2) reduce the corporate tax rate to increase employment and reduce consumer costs and 3) fund job training, early retirement and health care benefits to coal workers.

Congressman Delaney is also the author of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Commission Act, a bill which creates a bipartisan National Climate Solutions Commission to undertake a thorough review of economically viable public and private actions or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The National Climate Solutions Commission is required to give the White House, Congress and the states their recommendations within eighteen months.

 

Leave a Reply