The Conservative Climate Foundation (CCF) hosted a panel entitled, “Rewarding Environmental Performance in Trade” on Friday December 9, 2023, in the Green Zone at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai (COP28). The session highlighted the need for the United States to ensure our world-class environmental standards are rewarded – not punished – by international trade policies.
The bipartisan panel featured Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and was moderated by CEO of Climate Leadership Council Greg Bertelsen.
This bipartisan panel discussed the emergence of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and growing interest in merging climate and trade policy. They stressed the importance that such policies are based on transparent and verifiable data. A bipartisan group in the U.S. Congress is committed to working with other countries to ensure that the highest standards in data transparency are followed.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) spoke of the Providing Reliable, Objective, Verifiable Emissions Intensity and Transparency (PROVE IT) Act stating, “The PROVE IT Act is just about gathering data. Data for transparency, data to prove what we’re doing in the United States.” CRES has endorsed the PROVE IT Act, which was introduced by Sen. Coons and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) earlier this year.
Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) wrapped up the panel stating, “You see a bipartisan bicameral group up here talking in harmony about goals and objectives and when that happens anything is possible. Republicans and Democrats, both House and Senate… talking about a shared vision of how to move forward — I think that’s really important.”
See the full panel discussion HERE.