Kaine urges Trump administration not to abandon efforts to tackle climate change

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution Thursday with fellow committee members, stating that the United States should continue to exercise global leadership to address climate change and should not retreat from the Paris Climate Agreement.

“The world needs America’s leadership to combat the dangers posed by climate change,” said Kaine.“Virginians are already dealing with rising sea levels, increasing costs of flood insurance, and more extreme storms. In a historic show of unity, America joined virtually every other country in pledging reductions to carbon pollution that will make our planet cleaner tomorrow than today. I urge the Trump Administration not to turn over America’s international leadership role on climate change and clean energy to China by retreating from our place at the table.”

The resolution comes as reports indicate President Trump is nearing a decision on whether the United States will remain in the Paris Climate Agreement, the largest multilateral cooperative agreement ever reached to address the challenge of global climate change, signed by nearly every country in the world.

Joining Kaine on the resolution are U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Bob Menendez, Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Coons, Tom Udall, Chris Murphy, Jeff Merkley, Ed Markey, and Cory Booker.

The text of the resolution is available at this link.