Climate Crisis Committee Calls for Policy Recommendations at Member Day Hearing

Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) at the Member Day Hearing. Credit: House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

On November 14, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a Member Day for Members of Congress to share their climate policy ideas and current proposed legislation, so as to help guide the committee, which is charged with “delivering ambitious climate policy recommendations to Congress, in order to achieve substantial and permanent reductions in pollution and other activities that contribute to the climate crisis.”

In her testimony, Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) called for support of her bill, the Climate Stewardship Act of 2019 (H.R. 4269). She stated that the bill “aims to support natural climate solutions by boosting funding for programs that encourage sustainable farming practices, reforestation, and wetland restoration.” Rep. Haaland also emphasized her support for tax incentives that increase energy efficiency and renewable energy investment as well as for a just and equitable transition to a clean energy future.

Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) testified that Maine is taking major steps to tackle the climate crisis. She explained that Maine’s bipartisan climate change bill includes “slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent and increasing the amount of electricity from renewable sources to 100 percent by 2050.” Rep. Pingree also stated that farmers should be better compensated for agricultural practices that store carbon in the soil—a topic which was discussed at the Select Committee’s hearing, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture.”

Many members of Congress discussed the climate impacts already being felt in their states. For example, Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) testified that Florida is facing severe flooding and stronger storms. His bipartisan bill, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019 (H.R. 763), one of many carbon pricing bills, would mitigate climate impacts by encouraging market-driven solutions.

In Representative Marcy Kaptur’s (D-OH) testimony, she explained the Department of Energy’s (DOE) crucial role in researching and developing clean energy technologies. Her bill, FY 2020 Energy and Water Development Act (H.R. 2960), would provide “crucial funding for energy innovation at the Department of Energy.” EESI is also supportive of funding for DOE renewable energy and energy efficiency work, and urged Congress to support the highest level of proposed funding in advocacy letters.

A common theme throughout Member Day was improving resilience to climate change. Representative Harley Rouda (D-CA) testified on the need to address sea level rise and improve coastal resilience. He advocated for his bill, the Coastal Communities Adaptation Act (H.R. 1317), which would “improve the resilience of the built and natural environment to natural disasters and climate change using, among other measures, natural and nature-based features.” Similarly, Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) testified that “we must make sure that our future investments in infrastructure are prepared to handle the capacity and demands climate change will bring—from increased natural disasters to adapting to the needs of an electrical grid run by renewables.” EESI’s fact sheet, Nature as Resilient Infrastructure - An Overview of Nature-Based Solutions, details how nature-based solutions can be incorporated into infrastructure to create more resilience to climate impacts. Nature-based solutions can be a powerful tool to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and create resilience to climate change, and should be included in any comprehensive climate policy.

Opening the conversation to all members of the House of Representatives gave the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis valuable insight into current efforts and proposed policies to address the climate crisis. The Select Committee also invited stakeholders from all across the United States to submit recommendations. In response to the Committee’s request for information, EESI submitted an extensive set of policy recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.

The Select Committee is expected to publish policy recommendations for Congressional climate action by March 31, 2020.

To learn more about the Select Committee’s progress, check out EESI’s articles, “House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Finds Common Ground on Nature-Based Solutions” and “Workforce Development and Emissions Reduction Explored in Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Hearing.”

 

Author: Savannah Bertrand