Republican legacy on international climate policy

Authors Greg Dotson and Gwynne Taraska point out the sensible and constructive legacy that Republicans have on climate change, which today's Republicans should own and continue.

In 1992, the George H.W. Bush administration negotiated an unprecedented multilateral treaty, the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, which received bipartisan consent for ratification from the U.S. Senate. At the time, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, “I am pleased to support this fine agreement. I congratulate President Bush on his courageous leadership on the issue of global climate change.”

This is a sharp contrast to the current political landscape on climate change. As world leaders meet today for the Paris climate summit—which is set to produce a new international agreement to limit carbon pollution and improve resilience to the effects of climate change—congressional Republicans are largely denouncing international climate cooperation and domestic clean energy policies.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Hill. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.