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November 20 Press Conference at COP29: U.S. Perspectives from the U.N. Climate Summit
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) will hold a press conference on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, during the U.N. climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29) at 1:30 p.m. local time in Baku (4:30 a.m. EST). Speakers will share observations of the negotiations and other key happenings at COP29 and what it means for climate action in the United States.
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U.N. Climate Summit Delivers Important Progress on Loss and Damage but Falls Short on Ambition
"The U.N. climate summit ended on a surprisingly—but not entirely—positive note, which was not a guaranteed outcome by any means," said Environmental and Energy Study Institute Executive Director Daniel Bresette, who attended COP27. "Most importantly, the wealthy nations of the world, including the United States, agreed to help vulnerable developing countries cover some of the unavoidable costs resulting from climate change—known as loss and damage.
EESI Praises Senate Approval of the Kigali Amendment to Phase Down HFCs, a Major Contributor to Climate Change
“The Senate ratification of the Kigali Amendment on a bipartisan basis is a major, long-overdue step forward in climate action,” said EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette. “The Kigali Amendment will help us prevent up to half a degree Celsius of warming this century and promote the competitiveness of American-made heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment in global markets.”
Progress at COP26 Must Now Lead to Accelerated, Equitable Implementation of Climate Solutions
"Now that the Paris Agreement rulebook is finalized, these plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be implemented with the urgency that comes with knowing that time is running out to avoid the worst outcomes of climate change," said Daniel Bresette, executive director of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) at the conclusion of the 2021 U.N. climate talks in Glasgow.
EESI Welcomes New U.S. Goal of Cutting Emissions More Than 50% by 2030
The Biden-Harris Administration unveiled America’s new greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments as part of its contribution to the Paris Agreement, which seeks to keep global warming significantly below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F). The United States, which announced it would rejoin the Paris Agreement on President Biden's first day in office, has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. "The Biden-Harris Administration means business,” said EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette, welcoming the news. “Meeting this new goal will make a significant contribution to the global fight against climate change. It is much more ambitious than America's initial goal to cut emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2025. Other countries, including China, Britain, and the members of the European Union, have also raised their ambitions in the runup to the next U.N. climate summit this year. I am more optimistic than I have been in a long time.
Return to Paris Agreement Is a Key First Step for New Administration
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute's executive director, Daniel Bresette, welcomed President Joe Biden's executive order marking the return of the United States to the Paris Agreement. It was one of Biden's first actions as president following his inauguration today.
United States Should Be Leading on Climate Change, Not Retreating
EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette: “The United States formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement today, the only nation—out of 196—to do so. Climate change is real and we are already feeling the effects of it across the United States. The longer we wait to get serious about climate change, the harder, more disruptive, and costlier it will be to curb temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. States and cities are doing their best to keep up, but we need the federal government to be part of the effort. We should be leading, but instead we are retreating.”
U.N. Climate Negotiations Conclude with Mixed Results
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) regrets the limited decisions reached at the U.N. climate negotiations in Madrid. Representatives from almost 200 nations met at the 25th Conference of the Parties of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) to address issues left undecided in the Paris Agreement Rulebook, which was developed at last year’s meeting in Poland. The negotiations in Madrid centered on devising a framework for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Agreement in Poland Advances Climate Action—But Not Enough
This Saturday, 197 countries—including the United States—agreed on a rule book for the Paris Climate Agreement, which calls on the world's nations to keep global warming significantly below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Participating countries have already submitted written pledges to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, by transitioning to cleaner energy sources and by promoting energy efficiency. But rules were needed to ensure that countries could monitor each other’s actions, and properly measure their impacts.
Paris Withdrawal: A Disservice to the Global Environment and American Business
"Seventy-six years ago, the United States led the free world in defeating an existential menace. Today, the world is confronted with another existential menace: climate change. But instead of stepping up to the plate and assuming its leadership role, the United States is shirking its responsibilities. The rest of the world must not succumb to the same mistake, but rally to defend the agreement," said EESI Chair Jared Blum.
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