Bingaman on G8 Climate Forum Consensus
February 16, 2007
11:38 AM
A major two-day meeting in D.C. -- the Legislators Forum on Climate Change -- ended Thursday after producing a statement endorsed by Forum participants. The statement was sent to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany holds the Presidency of the G8 group of nations.
The forum was part of the G8+5 Climate Change Legislators Dialogue in which more than 80 legislators and government officials from the 20 largest energy consuming countries participated. Leaders from the private sector and civil society also joined the discussion, along with Sens. Bingaman, Boxer, Craig, Lieberman, McCain, Kerry and Snowe, among others.
The forum was organized by the Global Legislators for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) and COM+: Alliance of Communicators for Sustainable Development. Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, an official advisor to GLOBE, was the first U.S. legislator to address the international gathering, held in the Russell Building’s historic Senate Caucus Room.
Upon conclusion of the forum, Bingaman said, "The halls of Congress are the appropriate place for a dialogue like this. For too long, the United States has not been meaningfully engaged in finding solutions to global warming. Now that the debate over the science of climate change is over, and now that we better understand the economic consequences of inaction, this new Congress will lead the way toward finding solutions. I urge the Administration and the G8+5 leaders meeting in Germany this June to read the Consensus Statement that this Forum has produced and to work in earnest to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions."
Journalists interested in additional information on the Legislators Forum can contact Kristyn Schrader (202/458-2736, kschrader@worldbank.org)
