[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6787-S6788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Climate Change

  Madam President, on Monday, two things were made clear. This last 
Monday, we came to realize that we need to take immediate action--
immediate action--to deal with human-caused global warming. Secondly, 
American innovation has already given us many of the tools to do so.
  I know there are those who think that climate change is an issue that 
will only affect us in the far-distant future or that the challenge is 
so big that we can't really do much about it, but the truth is that we 
are already dealing with the effects of climate change, and we have it 
within our power to address them with technology that already exists.
  Earlier this year, rainstorms and melting snow caused flooding across 
my State of Illinois. More than 20 counties throughout the State were 
placed under flood warning. As the water level of rivers continued to 
rise, several communities in Illinois had to evacuate their homes for 
their own safety. Illinois farmers know all too well that changing 
weather is impacting the way they farm and the crops they produce.
  As I speak, recovery efforts are already underway after Hurricane 
Michael left the Panhandle region of Florida in ruins. Our hearts go 
out to the families who are waking up this morning and don't know 
whether their loved ones are safe or whether they have a home to return 
to.
  Earlier this summer, in the western part of our country, we saw vast 
acreage destroyed by wildfires, and it has been one year since 
Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and Hurricane Maria devastated the entire 
island of Puerto Rico.
  It is obvious to anyone that natural disasters are becoming more 
powerful, more costly, and more deadly, and it is time we take climate 
change's role in causing them seriously, or it will get worse.
  On Monday, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change released a report stating that we have just over a decade--less 
than 10 years--to drastically reduce our carbon emissions if we want to 
maintain life on Earth as we know it today. It is an ominous warning 
but a serious one. The U.N. report states that we must reduce global 
emissions by 45 percent by the year 2030 and reach net zero emissions 
by 2050 if we want to avoid a world where deadly storms, unbreathable 
air, widespread famine, and multiyear droughts become the norm.
  According to the national security community that we count on to keep 
Americans safe, failing to address climate change will inundate our 
military bases and installations, and it will incite international 
conflicts and put our military--the men and women serving our country--
at risk in terms of readiness, operations, and strategy.
  The fact is, no one can claim to be serious about our national 
security if we don't face the reality of climate change. That isn't a 
declaration by the Sierra Club or some liberal Democratic Senator; it 
is a declaration of our defense community.
  We will continue to face weakened states and unprecedented refugee 
migration in the decades to come if we ignore this reality.
  There is good news, though. We have the tools and the technology to 
prevent this dystopian future, and the United States can lead in this 
effort. America is already showing the world how to reduce emissions 
and grow our economy by increasing energy efficiency measures and 
renewable energy usage and switching to electric vehicles.
  Think about the gains we have made, the progress that has been made 
when it comes to the fuel efficiency of the cars and trucks we drive 
today. There was a time in the Senate not that long ago when Detroit 
automobile and truck manufacturers were in complete denial. They said 
that there is just no way to hit these targets in terms of miles per 
gallon. We are doing it, and we see it every day. It is the same 
American innovation that can power us to make the far-reaching 
transitions in energy and infrastructure we need to limit our emissions 
to meet the recommendations of this United Nations panel.
  On Monday, the Nobel Prize in economics was given to two Americans--
William Nordhaus and Paul Romer--for their work on innovation, climate, 
and economic growth. Their work shows that addressing climate change 
can be an incredible opportunity for job growth and new investments in 
American competitiveness. New jobs can be created designing more 
efficient solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, as well as 
manufacturing the components for export all over the world.
  If you visit downstate Illinois--an area which is one of our most 
bountiful agricultural areas--you can't help but be struck by the 
number of wind turbines that have been built all around my State. The 
farmers love it because they are receiving monthly checks for the wind 
turbines located on their property, and the wind turbines are 
generating electricity for nearby communities without polluting. Twenty 
years ago, no one would have thought of that as a serious alternative. 
Today, it is. It is an alternative renewable source of energy that is 
not going to make the world worse for future generations.
  There was a Paris Agreement in terms of setting global goals that all 
the countries in the world would sign up for to reduce carbon emissions 
and

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to work together to develop a worldwide clean energy economy, and 195 
countries--every country in the world--has agreed to this Paris 
Agreement and signed on, including the United States. However, last 
year President Trump decided that the United States would step away 
from the rest of the world, step away from our allies and trading 
partners, and leave this agreement.
  When I think about the decisions being made by this Trump 
administration, this may be one of the most long-term, disastrous 
decisions he has made. To think that this great Nation, with its great 
economy, its great technology and innovation, would step away from an 
agreement that every country in the world has signed to deal with our 
climate challenges is unthinkable.
  I hope that after this week's announcement from the United Nations, 
at least someone at the White House will have second thoughts about 
this disastrous decision. We should not give up U.S. leadership and 
risk the world moving forward without us. If we step aside from this 
responsibility, others will step into our place--starting with China--
leading the rest of the world outside of the United States into new 
technology innovations to deal with climate change.
  It is clear that it is in America's best interest to take immediate 
action to limit our greenhouse gas emissions and face the realities of 
climate change head-on. Will it result in a change in our lifestyle? 
Perhaps, but only on the margins. Is it worth it? This weekend, I am 
going to get a treat: I get to visit my grandkids. They are 7 years 
old, twins, a little boy and a little girl, and I have a lot of fun 
with them. I think about what I do for a living and how it might impact 
the world they will live in for years to come. I would like to let them 
know that I am doing my part in the Senate and others are doing their 
part in Washington to leave them a world that they can live in--one 
that is not compromised by the selfishness and political agendas we see 
today.
  The livelihood of people in my State, including the farmers in my 
home of Illinois, depend on us.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Fischer). All time has expired.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent for 60 
additional seconds.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. The livelihoods of farmers in my home of Illinois depends 
on our acting and preventing an endless cycle of historic storms, 
floods, and droughts, causing millions of dollars in damage and crop 
loss. We have a moral obligation to our kids and grandkids to leave 
future generations with a planet that is not plagued by catastrophic 
drought, famine, wildfires, hurricanes, and sea level rise. We have the 
tools, and we know how to do it. It is time we rise to the challenge.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.
  Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.