[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 660 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 660

  Recognizing the 2d anniversary of the adoption of the international 
                   Paris Agreement on climate change.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 12, 2017

 Mr. Lowenthal (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer, 
Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. 
    Lee, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. 
   McEachin, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Peters, Mr. Pocan, Mr. 
    Quigley, Mr. Rush, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Soto, Mr. Tonko, and Ms. 
Gabbard) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, 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


 
  Recognizing the 2d anniversary of the adoption of the international 
                   Paris Agreement on climate change.

Whereas the Paris Agreement, adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the 
        United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2 years 
        ago on December 12, 2015, represents the first comprehensive agreement 
        among all nations to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius 
        compared with the preindustrial era;
Whereas the Paris Agreement urges efforts to limit global warming to one and a 
        half degrees Celsius;
Whereas 197 countries, including the United States, are parties to the UNFCCC, 
        the principal framework to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a 
        level that would prevent dangerous human-induced interference with the 
        climate system;
Whereas 197 parties have signed the Paris Agreement, and 170 parties have 
        ratified the Paris Agreement;
Whereas the United States is the only country with the intention to withdraw 
        from the Paris Agreement;
Whereas the human influence on the climate system is unequivocal and evident 
        from the increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, 
        positive radiative forcing, observed warming, and understanding of the 
        climate system;
Whereas, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, without 
        additional mitigation efforts, there is a very high risk that global 
        warming by the end of the twenty-first century will lead to severe, 
        widespread, and irreversible impacts globally;
Whereas, according to the National Climate Assessment, the global average 
        temperature is projected to increase worldwide by 2.5 to 11.5 degrees 
        Fahrenheit by 2100, which will cause a reduction in crop yields; 
        alteration of hydrological cycles; shrinkage of glaciers and ice sheets; 
        thawing of permafrost at high altitude; increase of flooding, wildfires, 
        droughts, heat waves, cyclones and other extreme weather events; greater 
        risk of species extinctions; and more;
Whereas, according to the National Climate Assessment, the global sea level is 
        projected to rise another 0.8 to 6.6 feet by 2100 while ocean warming 
        and acidification increases, causing a proportional increase in 
        destructive coastal storms and surges, disruption of ecosystems 
        including spawning and migration patterns of key fisheries, displacement 
        of people on vulnerable coastlines and islands, and more;
Whereas the Government Accountability Office found that climate-related impacts, 
        such as coastal property damage, cost the Federal Government $350 
        billion;
Whereas a November 2016 assessment by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
        and the Council of Economic Advisers found that recurring costs as a 
        result of climate change could increase the Federal Government's 
        expenses by $12 billion to $35 billion a year by midcentury, possibly 
        reaching more than $100 billion annually by the end of the century;
Whereas climate change not only threatens our world's weather, biodiversity, and 
        ecosystems, but also threatens human security, economic vitality, and 
        social stability around the globe;
Whereas the effects of climate change will only exacerbate issues of resource 
        scarcity, including lack of access to primary natural resources such as 
        fresh water and arable land for food production, thereby contributing to 
        increased conflict, poverty, food insecurity, and instability;
Whereas this increased conflict and instability, as well as limited capacity to 
        adapt to extreme weather, may force large-scale displacement and 
        internal and cross-border migration of people, thereby contributing to 
        increased risks to human security and economic systems;
Whereas the impacts of climate change will often be most severely felt by poor 
        and socially excluded groups, such as ethnic minorities, women, older 
        people, and children, whose capacity to adapt to both rapid- and slow-
        onset climate change is more limited;
Whereas the global community can limit the risks of climate change by reducing 
        emissions of greenhouse gases and strengthening the capacity of 
        communities to adapt to climate change;
Whereas, to enable developing countries to combat climate change and adapt to 
        its impacts, developed countries will need to mobilize economic 
        resources, beginning with fulfilling their pledge of mobilizing $100 
        billion of climate financing from both public and private sources 
        annually beginning in 2020, some of which will support the Green Climate 
        Fund;
Whereas the United States pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 
        percent below 2005 levels in the United States by 2030, and to 
        contribute $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund;
Whereas the economy of the United States grew by 15 percent between 2005 and 
        2015, while net greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 11.5 percent 
        during that period;
Whereas 30 States have adopted renewable electricity standard requirements, 20 
        States have adopted greenhouse gas emissions targets, 20 States have 
        adopted energy efficiency resource standards, 10 States have adopted 
        zero-emission vehicle targets, and 9 States have implemented the 
        Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and additional States may soon join;
Whereas 47 cities in the United States have adopted 100 percent clean and 
        renewable energy goals;
Whereas the States, cities, Tribal nations, businesses, and institutions of 
        higher education of the United States that support the objectives of the 
        Paris Agreement represent more than half of the gross domestic product 
        of the United States; and
Whereas the Paris Agreement secured commitments from other member countries, 
        including China and India, for a global agreement that could prevent 
        catastrophic changes to our climate system and thus to societies around 
        the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the 2d anniversary of the adoption of the 
        Paris Agreement;
            (2) acknowledges it is the responsibility of humankind to 
        address the severe and global impacts of climate change;
            (3) supports global efforts that will keep global warming 
        below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), including 
        reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;
            (4) supports global efforts to protect those most 
        vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including 
        increasing the ambition of current climate financing goals;
            (5) supports policies at the Federal, State, and local 
        level that promote the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution 
        and aim to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement; and
            (6) recommends that the United States remain a signatory to 
        the Paris Agreement.
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