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 through federal climate action.
The principles outlined here, and in greater detail at Tonko.house.gov/climate, are meant to provide a framework that moves the lines of our agreement forward and help us build a comprehensive national climate action plan together. This is an appeal to everyone who takes solving the climate crisis seriously. As more detailed policy conversations continue, these nine principles represent the essential components that need to be considered as we work to design proposals and build consensus around solutions.
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 these principles:
1. Set scientific targets for greenhouse gas neutrality by mid-century. 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.
2. A clean U.S. economy must be strong, competitive, and fair. 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 other nations.
3. Invest in America’s sustainable economic 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.
4. Deliver a just and equitable transition. Federal climate policies should invest in opportunities and support for communities in high-pollution and climate-exposed areas, as well as provide due consideration and support for workers and communities that have been dependent on traditional energy industries.
5. Protect low-income households. Federal climate policy should avoid disproportionate burdens on vulnerable people.
6. Build stronger community resilience to new climate realities. Federal climate policies should ensure that all Americans are protected from climate-related harms, regardless of where they live.
7. Empower state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. These are often in the best position to enact innovative policies to manage or prevent climate change—and many already have.
8. Avoid harm to first movers. Federal climate policy should, to the extent possible, complement work already being done by states, municipalities, businesses, and individuals, and avoid penalizing entities that have taken early action.
9. Create stable and predictable policies. 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.
These principles reflect extensive conversations with members of Congress and stakeholders. I encourage you to review the full document and welcome your feedback.
The Principles for National Climate Action are based upon the false premise that there is a scientific basis for Climate Action. I have conducted an investigation into this matter. My… Read more »
Congressman Tonko is “on point” for climate action, but I wanted to add some texture to his suggestions. First, we need to proactively and speedily power our critical infrastructure (cellular… Read more »
The most important item is #9 – Create stable and predictable policies. Right now we have a policy that says you can pollute the atmosphere with greenhouse gases for free.… Read more »
I agree completely that carbon-fee-and-dividend, taxing fossil fuels for the CO2 they will emit when burned and then returning ALL the money in equal shares to everybody, is the right… Read more »
Congressman Tonko, I support the idea of having principles like you lay out to create an effective direction for the United States to address the climate change crisis. However, your… Read more »
The principles are a useful and innovative contribution to this discussion. Behind them, however, lie some deeper and important understandings worth calling out. Modernizing America’s energy economy for a climate… Read more »
I’ve received several queries off line and am using this forum to respond. First, I think that while all of my comments are consistent with the Congressman’s principles, they are… Read more »
Congressman Tonko, I believe you are “on point” for climate action. This is because, impacts of climate change are already evident in many regions and sectors, and are expected to… Read more »
What areas do you expect to pose the greatest barrier to climate policy development? The biggest hurdle is to dispel the almost 30 years of doubt cast on the science… Read more »
There are two challenges to decarbonize the economy. First, it may double energy costs resulting in a 10% reduction in the standard of living. The political class has no clue… Read more »
My websites link to 1000 pages of invention descriptions I have written – mostly about energy. For an overview I recommend the “Gallery of Clean Energy Inventions”. The caption is:… Read more »
Reply to Rep. Paul Tonko’s Nine Principles of Climate Action 1. Adopt Science-Based Targets for Greenhouse Gas Neutrality by Mid-Century Rather than net zero by 2050, it might be more… Read more »
Ed, I wanted to flag one technical point. Cutting US emissions to net zero by 2050 is, in reality, cutting emissions by 80%, because US forests and lands sequester about… Read more »
Ed, check out this article in the NYT Magazine … that offers a plug for performance standards as opposed to carbon tax … https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/09/magazine/climate-change-politics-economics.html By DAVID LEONHARDT APRIL 9, 2019… Read more »
As an add to my previous comments, I think critical infrastructure powered by on-site renewables and energy storage should stand alone as its own provision and would gather the most… Read more »
Clarification of earlier points. The question is what are the priorities. If its stopping climate change, the proposed principles are not likely to be effective or very useful. There are… Read more »
Charles: While addressing climate change may be disruptive, not addressing it will be orders of magnitude more disruptive! The status quo is no longer an option. As I point out… Read more »
Mr.Fosberg, you say … “The second principle is to get honest about the cost and level of disruption to stop climate change. We are going to have the political debate… Read more »
Thank you to everyone who submitted thoughtful and constructive feedback! We are undertaking an extraordinary challenge as we engage this legislative process, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Please continue… Read more »
[…] Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) followed these remarks with nine principles for national climate action, including these […]