Statement: Senate committee releases ambitious new climate report

Media Contacts

Leaders make strong case for robust action to cut planet-warming emissions

Environment America

WASHINGTON — The Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis released a long-awaited report on Tuesday, making the case for comprehensive climate solutions that would meet the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This scientific target, set in 2018 by the International Panel on Climate Change, would keep the Earth from warming more than 1.5 degrees, avoiding the worst impacts of global warming. 

Andrea McGimsey, senior director for Environment America’s Global Warming Solutions campaign, issued the following statement: 

“The Senate plan released today is a start. To solve the climate crisis, we’ll need bold solutions, including 100 percent renewable energy to power our society and an expedited transition to clean transportation. That’s why we’re calling for all new cars to be electric by 2035, all buses to be electric by 2030, and to double the number of people who travel on foot, bike or public transit by 2030. 

“From coast to coast, the case for taking uncompromising action on climate change could not be clearer. Lightning and extreme heat have combined to devastate California, Colorado and other western states. In the East, two tropical storms are simultaneously threatening the Gulf Coast, fueled by unusually warm waters. And in the Midwest, Americans continue to reel from the unexpected devastation caused by a derecho.

“The Senate committee deserves applause for recognizing the massive problems we face with the changing climate, but we now look forward to bipartisan efforts to get bold climate solutions implemented as quickly as possible.”