Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will set off for Glasgow, Scotland to join heads of state and environmental leaders from around the globe at the U.N.’s 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and send the message that America is ready to recommit to the urgent task of tackling the climate crisis. Whitehouse is one of the Senate’s leading voices on climate change and has been fighting to include ambitious climate provisions in Democrats’ pending Build Back Better Act.
“Nearly every corner of the world has faced unprecedented, costly climate disasters since global leaders last convened to find solutions to the climate crisis,” said Whitehouse. “Urgent international cooperation is the only path to reducing emissions on the scale needed to avert dire outcomes. America rejoined the Paris Agreement on President Biden’s first day in office, and Democrats are on the brink of passing a major climate bill. We must seize the opportunity to show the world what’s possible and lead the planet to safety.”
Whitehouse will travel as part of a delegation led by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). On Friday, Whitehouse will meet with representatives of several foreign governments, including France and Brazil, as well as senior officials from the Scottish government to discuss offshore wind. Saturday’s schedule begins with a meeting with top Chinese officials, followed by a meeting with Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. Whitehouse is also scheduled to participate in a panel on Congress’ role in stepping up America’s climate ambitions. On Sunday, Senator Whitehouse will speak at a World Wildlife Federation event on sustainable infrastructure and building back better on a global scale, as well as meet with numerous other stakeholders. Whitehouse will return home on Monday.