Curbelo leads bipartisan call for U.S. to uphold Paris climate deal commitments

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) led a bipartisan call on Monday for the Trump administration to uphold U.S. commitments outlined in the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Curbelo and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), the co-founders of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, made the request on Tuesday as administration officials prepared for discussions about U.S. involvement in the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC, which allows countries to set goals for reducing carbon emissions.

The discussions, which had been slated for Tuesday, were delayed by the White House and no date was set for when the meeting would be rescheduled. The Trump administration is divided on the issue of climate change, with Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, stating earlier this month that the Paris Agreement represents a “bad deal” for the United States.

Curbelo and Deutch, in a joint statement, said, “It is imperative that we maintain our seat at the table in global discussions of how to address the threats posed by climate change. The world’s leading nations must work together to not only reduce the impact carbon emissions have on climate change, but also mitigate and prepare for the effects, which communities like ours are dealing with every day.”

“Remaining in the Paris Agreement will strengthen American leadership on environmental stewardship and help transform today’s low-carbon investments into trillions of dollars of clean energy prosperity,” the lawmakers said. “On the other hand, withdrawing would mean squandering a unique opportunity to promote American research, ingenuity and innovation.”

Curbelo and Deutch formed the Climate Solutions Caucus, which consists of 19 members from each political party, to educate members about economically viable climate change solutions, and to explore bipartisan policies to address the impacts and causes of climate change.

“It’s our hope the administration will take a responsible approach on this issue,” Curbelo and Deutch said. “We stand ready to work with administration officials to maintain the U.S. commitment to the agreement and secure a future of new economic opportunities and a cleaner and safer world for rising generations.”