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Bipartisan Senate Delegation Delivers Strong Messages at COP28

COP28 operationalizes the “Climate Impact and Response Fund” to address loss and damage from climate change… falls short on clearly calling for a global fossil fuel phase out, per what the science has determined is needed to prevent 1.5°C warming.

WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan delegation this weekend to Dubai for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP28. In addition to Cardin, the delegation included Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). As a whole, the delegation – all veterans of previous COP meetings – sought to deliver a clear message that the U.S. Congress was concerned, engaged and must do more to address the causes and effects of climate change. Individually, each senator had a robust schedule of meetings and speaking engagements.

Key events included a panel discussion at the U.S. Center Pavilion. Click here for highlights.

COP28

Senate delegation to the COP28 with panel moderator Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Jennifer “JR” Littlejohn.

For the full event, please click here.

The full bipartisan delegation also participated in a press conference on Sunday, December 10. Click here for excerpts of the press conference.

COP Panel

For the full press conference, please click here.

From left to right:

  • U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) – Chair, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
  • U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) – Chair, Senate Budget Committee
  • U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) – Chair, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  • U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) – Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  • U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) – Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
  • U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) – Chair, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  • U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) – Chair, Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate and Nuclear Safety

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