“We must work together to ensure that at least 55 nations, representing at least 55 percent of global GHG emissions approve the agreement by Earth Day.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following in response to the U.S.-China joint statement on climate change and the Paris agreement.
“Climate change represents an enormous challenge for all inhabitants of our planet. It is the preeminent national security issue for the 21st Century. We are the first generation in recorded human history to experience the very real and serious effects of climate change. We also likely will be the last generations that can meaningfully act to curb and mitigate its effects. I applaud President Obama’s and President Xi’s consistent cooperation and commitment to responsible action on climate change.
“Combined, greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from China and the U.S. comprise 42 percent of global GHG emissions, making the U.S. and China joint commitment to sign the agreement an important signal to the rest of the world that the Paris Agreement will succeed. We must work together to ensure that at least 55 nations, representing at least 55 percent of global GHG emissions approve the agreement by Earth Day, April 22, the first day the agreement is open for nations to join. I am very hopeful that this historic agreement will achieve this monumental goal and will go into force as soon as possible. Our children and our grandchildren are counting on us to leave them a healthy world to live in.”
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