At the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the CRES Forum team proudly represented conservative energy and climate leadership—amplifying United States Republican voices on the international stage.
Throughout the week, we showcased commonsense solutions that strengthen American energy leadership, bolster energy security and lower global emissions, and reduce reliance on foreign adversaries while fostering collaboration with our allies.
Here’s a look at the highlights of our week at COP29:
CRES Forum hosted a roundtable exploring the global role of nuclear energy in providing reliable, carbon-free baseload power. Policymakers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Romania and the European Union shared insights on overcoming challenges to empower nuclear industries worldwide. This discussion built on the momentum from COP28, where more than 20 nations committed to tripling nuclear capacity. CRES Forum was heartened to see that at COP29, six new countries joined this commitment.
The conversation around the potential of nuclear energy continued at the U.S. Center at COP where CRES Forum President Heather Reams moderated a bipartisan panel featuring Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), John James (R-Mich.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif). They discussed advancements in the nuclear industry and opportunities to deploy carbon-free nuclear energy faster and more effectively worldwide. You can watch the full panel HERE.
The members participating in the panel were in Baku as part of a larger bipartisan Congressional delegation led by House Energy & Commerce Committee Member Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas). In addition to Reps. Pfluger, Griffith and James, Republicans in the delegation also included Reps. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) and Jay Obernolte (R-Calif). Learn more about their trip HERE.
CRES Forum President Reams also serves as the chair for the Conservative Climate Foundation (CCF), which for the fourth consecutive year, brought a delegation of nine Republican staffers to COP. These staffers represent members of Congress and congressional committees critical to energy and climate policy. Reams welcomed the group to Baku and spoke at the CCF signature dinner to staffers and stakeholders’ attendees, underscoring the significant role Republicans play in advancing international climate solutions that reduce global emissions.
Additionally, the CRES Forum team joined the CCF delegation for a roundtable on critical mineral supply chains. The focus was on fostering domestic production and collaborating with allies like Australia and Canada, reducing reliance on foreign adversaries like China while promoting cleaner, more environmentally friendly mining and processing practices.
CRES Forum also co-hosted a reception with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) to celebrate progress in advancing market-driven, all-of-the-above energy solutions that cut emissions and bolster American energy leadership.
In addition to these events, Reams and CRES Forum’s Vice President of Policy & Advocacy Christina Baworowsky participated in roundtable discussions led by National Grid, BCSE, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) and the Climate Solutions Foundation, engaging with policymakers and business leaders on actionable strategies for clean energy policy in the year ahead.
CRES Forum is proud to represent U.S. conservative leadership in these critical international discussions and we were encouraged to see fellow Republicans advocating for meaningful climate solutions on the global stage. As we look to the future, we remain committed to advancing an all-of-the-above energy approach that benefits both America and the world.