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A Framework for Climate Action in the
U.S. Congress
Chairman Paul Tonko
Environment & Climate Change Subcommittee
Committee on Energy & Commerce
U.S. House of Representatives
116
th
Congress, First Session
March 21, 2019
Dear Friends,
Americans are living, and dying, in the path of unprecedented flooding, raging wildfires, and
battering storms driven by Earth’s changing climate. Regardless of the origins of our
predicament, we have inherited these conditions. It falls to us to set aside past disagreements
and rise together to meet this challenge.
We agree that climate change is real. We agree humans are driving it. We agree that we need
to build solutions that meet the scale and urgency of the crisis we face. The principles outlined
in this document are meant to provide a framework that moves the lines of our agreement
forward and helps us build a comprehensive national climate action plan together.
As we assess the ideas before us, no options should be off the table. Rather, I submit that any
climate proposal we consider should be measured against the principles enclosed here. They
reflect extensive conversations with Members of Congress and stakeholders. I present them to
you for your consideration, reflection, and feedback.
Yours,
Paul D. Tonko
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Outline of Common Principles for National
Climate Action
1. Adopt Science-Based Targets for Greenhouse Gas
Neutrality by Mid-Century
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is an economic, public health, environmental,
and national security necessity.
Americans are already experiencing the costs and consequences of climate change.
According to the overwhelming scientific consensus, many serious harms caused by climate
change will intensify as a result of continued warming. Under the Paris Agreement, nations
of the world responded to this growing crisis by developing individual action plans and set
a goal of limiting global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
Congress must enact policies that set certain and enforceable targets to put the United States
on a path toward achieving net zero emissions by no later than mid-century.
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2. A Clean U.S. Economy Must Be Strong, Competitive, and
Fair
The United States can lead the world in clean energy, creating new jobs and industries
that carry added benefits including exporting American technologies, skills, and
services to countries around the world.
Millions of Americans work in clean energy industries today. Federal climate action doubles
as an opportunity to grow the economy through investments in research, development, and
deployment of technologies that will create millions of additional clean energy and advanced
manufacturing jobs. Similarly, a significant number of quality jobs, if coupled with strong
labor and procurement standards, will be created through building and modernizing
America’s infrastructure in order to support the clean energy transition.
Congress must ensure emerging clean energy industries provide fair wages and safe working
conditions. It must also protect America’s energy-intensive and trade-exposed industries
from anti-competitive behavior by nations that have not taken significant steps to combat
climate change or enforce meaningful labor and environmental standards.
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3. Climate Action Should Invest in America’s Future
Federal climate action requires Congressional support for innovations in technology,
policy, and finance to accelerate the clean energy transition and bring down costs of
economy-wide decarbonization.
These investments should encourage energy efficiency; research, development, and
demonstration in clean energy technologies including carbon capture, utilization, and
storage; increased electrification across all sectors of the economy; deployment of cleaner
transportation options as well as clean and renewable electricity resources supported by a
modernized, smart, and flexible electric grid; carbon dioxide removal technologies; and
natural climate solutions including improved management of forests, soil, and land use.
Investments in public lands, watersheds, and oceans can support additional economic
opportunities while sequestering significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and
creating more resilient communities and ecosystems. The federal government must dedicate
the resources necessary to make a sustained commitment toward achieving ambitious
mitigation goals.
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4. Climate Action Should Deliver a Just & Equitable Transition
Confronting the climate crisis offers an opportunity to address historic environmental
injustices and create pathways of opportunity for all Americans.
Low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous peoples are already
suffering disproportionate harm from climate change. Federal climate policy should respond
to that hardship by investing in opportunities and support for communities in high-pollution
and climate-exposed areas, as well as working to reduce dangerous co-pollutants that can
significantly impact public health. Federal climate policies should encourage community-
based solutions by seeking public engagement and participation with vulnerable and
disadvantaged groups.
Federal policies should also direct investments in deindustrialized and rural communities to
help spur economic development and diversification. To the extent that economic changes
displace workers and erode community-supporting revenue streams, especially in
communities and regions historically dependent on traditional energy industries, the federal
government should provide transition assistance in the form of guaranteed pensions and
benefits, education and job retraining, relocation benefits, community reinvestment, and
support for other new opportunities to share in the benefits of the growing clean energy
economy.
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5. Climate Action Should Protect Low-Income Households
Federal climate policy should avoid disproportionate burdens on vulnerable people.
Low-income households spend a greater portion of their incomes on energy-related
expenses. To the extent that climate policies might impact low- and fixed-income Americans,
federal policy should offset any potentially regressive impacts on these households.
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6. Climate Action Should Strengthen Community Resilience to
Better Withstand New Climate Realities
Federal climate policies should ensure that all Americans are protected from climate-
related harms, regardless of where they live.
Americans are already being harmed by the consequences of climate change. While steps
must be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent further long-term damage,
federal climate solutions should also strengthen the resilience of infrastructure and help
communities adapt to the increasing occurrence of natural disasters and extreme weather
events, spread of diseases, and other impacts that threaten the public’s health and
livelihoods. Investments that reduce the risk of these harms will more than pay for
themselves over time.
Congress should also apply science-based adaptation policies to help ecosystems, fisheries,
and wildlife threatened by climate change. Every agency and level of government must
consider best practices to manage and minimize the risks posed by climate change when
making investments in built and natural infrastructure, while recognizing that the long-term
success of an adaptation strategy is diminished without a complementary mitigation
strategy.
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7. Climate Action Should Empower State, Local, Tribal, and
Territorial Governments
State, local, and community leaders are often in the best position to enact innovative
policies to manage or prevent climate damage—and many already have.
Each state and region faces unique climate challenges. While some approaches may require
federal implementation, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments should receive the
financial support, technical assistance, and flexibility necessary to pursue policies that help
achieve national climate goals through specific means that are best suited for local conditions
and implementation.
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8. Climate Action Should Avoid Harm to First Movers
Many entities have already taken steps to confront the growing climate crisis.
Federal climate policy should, to the extent possible, complement work already being done
by states, municipalities, businesses, and individuals. Whenever possible, it should avoid
penalizing entities that have taken early action.
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9. Climate Action Should Create Stable and Predictable
Policies
Every stakeholder engaged in climate action, whether public, private, or non-profit,
needs to know that federal climate policies are durable and predictable.
Long-term climate progress requires policy certainty, which needs to come through statute
and therefore requires action by Congress. Federal climate action must create steady,
credible, and politically durable policies, send strong investment signals, and deliver long-
term certainty to allow for proper planning and implementation while minimizing
compliance costs. Regulators should have the flexibility to undertake periodic scientific
reviews of goals, respond to changing conditions, and accommodate new developments in
best practices and emerging technologies.
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If you have comments, questions, or feedback regarding the content outlined in this
document, please contact the Office of Congressman Paul Tonko.
Members, Staff, & Stakeholders:
Brendan Larkin
Senior Policy Advisor
Media:
Matt Sonneborn
Communications Director
202-680-8902
