Biden to submit treaty fighting climate super-pollutants for Senate approval
Source: Washington Post
The Biden administration will submit a treaty amendment aimed at curbing a set of climate super-pollutants for Senate approval on Tuesday, White House officials confirmed. The United States played a key role in forging the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which requires countries to phase down hydrofluorocarbons synthetic chemicals that are hundreds to thousands of times as powerful as carbon dioxide 85 percent over the next 15 years. But the Trump administration reversed Obama-era rules aimed at cutting these chemicals, known as HFCs, which are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
David Doniger, senior strategic director in the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement, The Senate should act swiftly on this measure backed by both environmental and business groups.The Montreal Protocol and its amendments have drawn broad bipartisan Senate support for more than 30 years, and the Kigali Amendment deserves similar strong bipartisan backing, he said. Phasing down these harmful chemicals will create good-paying jobs and open export markets for manufacturers of new and safer products, while curbing a potent contributor to climate change. Its a win, win, win.
The Environmental Protection Agency finalized in rule in September that will ensure the United States meets the targets outlined in the international agreement. Democrats and Republicans alike rallied around a bipartisan agreement a year ago to slash use of these potent greenhouse gases, making it possible for the EPA to regulate them. Many U.S. chemical manufacturers have begun to produce more climate-friendly refrigerants and back reducing the use and sale of HFCs worldwide. The Biden administration will submit a treaty amendment aimed at curbing a set of climate super-pollutants for Senate approval on Tuesday, White House officials confirmed.
The United States played a key role in forging the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which requires countries to phase down hydrofluorocarbons synthetic chemicals that are hundreds to thousands of times as powerful as carbon dioxide 85 percent over the next 15 years. But the Trump administration reversed Obama-era rules aimed at cutting these chemicals, known as HFCs, which are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning. David Doniger, senior strategic director in the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement, The Senate should act swiftly on this measure backed by both environmental and business groups.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/11/16/biden-kigali-amendment-senate/
Good! Another one checked off the list (these chemicals impact the Ozone layer of the atmosphere).
NullTuples
(6,017 posts)BumRushDaShow
(128,372 posts)The original protocol provision was negotiated by the GOP (Raygun).
hatrack
(59,566 posts)In five, four, three . . .
Good on Joe for sending, though - about damned time!
BumRushDaShow
(128,372 posts)are trying to undue 4 years worth of destruction and Obama policy reversals, in less than a year.
It's a shame that he is being faulted for "not having it done yet".
Bayard
(22,004 posts)"It will need significant GOP backing to pass. The amendment, like all treaties, will require the approval of a two-thirds supermajority of the chamber to become law."
Biden could send a cure for cancer over there, and rethugs would all vote no.