[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 865 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 865

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States should adopt a target of 350 parts per million of atmospheric 
carbon dioxide by which to evaluate domestic and international climate 
                change policies, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 23, 2009

   Mr. Kucinich (for himself and Mr. Filner) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States should adopt a target of 350 parts per million of atmospheric 
carbon dioxide by which to evaluate domestic and international climate 
                change policies, and for other purposes.

Whereas the current concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 
        approximately 390 parts per million;
Whereas the effects of climate change are already being felt around the world in 
        the form of extreme weather, encroaching disease, water shortages, 
        acidifying oceans, species loss, and increasing atmospheric 
        temperatures;
Whereas the scientific consensus is that climate change is caused by increases 
        in concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the 
        atmosphere from human activity;
Whereas the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide before the industrial 
        revolution was 275 parts per million;
Whereas a scientifically derived target concentration of carbon dioxide in the 
        atmosphere provides predictability, accountability, and consistency;
Whereas it may be impossible to know when a tipping point will pass until it has 
        already passed;
Whereas ecological changes which could contribute to or constitute tipping 
        points include the amount of reflective surface area on the Earth now 
        provided primarily by ice and snow; the release of gigatons of methane 
        deposits, which have well over 15 times the warming capacity of carbon 
        dioxide, in permafrost or at the bottom of the ocean; and the growing 
        acidification of the ocean and loss of forest cover due to deforestation 
        and forest fires, which is hindering their ability to continue to absorb 
        atmospheric carbon dioxide; and
Whereas prominent earth scientists such as James Hansen of NASA's Goddard 
        Institute for Space Studies and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
        Change Chair and Nobel Laureate Rajendra Pachauri, as well as global 
        leaders and Nobel Laureates such as Al Gore and Archbishop Desmond Tutu 
        support a target concentration of 350 parts per million of atmospheric 
        carbon dioxide: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the United States should adopt a target of 350 parts 
        per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide by which to evaluate 
        domestic and international climate change policies; and
            (2) the United States should develop domestic and 
        international policies that are sufficiently flexible to 
        accommodate advancing science in the event that a change in the 
        target of 350 parts per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide 
        becomes warranted.
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