A coalition of House Republican leaders introduced a resolution this week that pledges to work toward finding creative yet economically feasible solutions to protect the environment from the risks of climate change.
U.S. Reps. Ryan Costello (R-PA), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) led a group of 14 additional members of Congress in introducing the resolution, citing the “conservative principle to protect, conserve and be good stewards of our environment.”
A significant increase in extreme weather events has been documented across the United States, including more frequent heat waves, extreme precipitation, wildfires and droughts. The negative impacts on the environment from climate change are only expected to worsen in future years, according to the resolution.
“The preservation of the environment and our natural resources for future generations should be a priority for us all,” Costello, a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, said. “We should leverage conservative principles to develop innovative, economically viable ways to achieve this goal, including through clean energy technologies.”
The resolution calls for supporting private and public solutions to study and address the causes and effects of changes in global and regional climates, including efforts to balance human activities that have been found to have an impact.
With 40 percent of Florida’s population at risk from sea-level rise, Curbelo said his state is on the front lines of climate change.
“South Florida residents are already beginning to feel the effects of climate change in their daily lives — from chronic flooding to coral bleaching to threats to our freshwater supply in the Everglades,” Curbelo, the co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus, said.
“Our goal with this resolution is to shift the debate from whether climate change is real toward the tangible efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate its effects,” Curbelo added.
An increase in pollutants and other factors contribute to negative environmental and human health impacts, the resolution states, such as increased mercury in fish that is consumed, elevated asthma attacks in children, smog, poor water quality, and rapid storm water runoff that leads to expensive infrastructure projects.
Stefanik said clean energy innovation is the key to addressing the critical issue of climate change.
“This resolution brings together the priority of addressing the risks of climate change with the importance of protecting and creating American jobs, she said. Noting that New York’s 21st district is the home of the Adirondacks, Stefanik said that protecting the environment plays an important role in promoting economic growth and opportunity.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA), who joined other House Republicans in introducing the resolution, said, “we owe it to our kids and grandkids to ensure we leave to them a safe and sustainable planet.”
“There are bipartisan, market-based solutions that will spur investment and innovation in clean energy sources. By pursuing them, we can reduce emissions, alleviate the damage caused by climate change and create good-paying jobs,” Meehan added.
Among the signers of the climate resolution were: U.S. Reps. Mark Amodei (R-NV), Don Bacon (R-NE), Barbara Comstock (R-VA), John Faso (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), John Katko (R-NY), Mia Love (R-UT), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Brian Mast (R-FL), Tom Reed (R-NY), Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Mark Sanford (R-SC).
The resolution said that if left unaddressed, the consequences of a changing climate have the potential to adversely impact the entire country. Vulnerable populations would be hit the hardest, harming productivity in key economic sectors such as construction, agriculture and tourism. The additional strain on federal and state budgets would further add to the United States’ long-term fiscal challenges, according to the resolution.
Ken Kimmell, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said, “I’m heartened to see Republican House members introduce a resolution committing Congress to address climate change and base its policy decisions on science and quantifiable facts.”
The Republican Climate Resolution also received broad support from a number of environmental groups, religious leaders and members of the military.
“The risks of climate change are far too great to get bogged down in partisan politics,” said Mark Reynolds, executive director of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. “With this resolution, these 17 Republicans are saying that business-as-usual is unacceptable when it comes to preserving a livable world for future generations.”
Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Lee Gunn, said the demands worldwide on the U.S. military, as well as the nation’s economic, diplomatic and political power, would inevitably be greater if the environment becomes less predictable.
“The Republican Climate Resolution supports not only traditional American values, but the practical imperative of maintaining our security at home and abroad,” Gunn said.