Policy Resolution ETE-19-15

WHEREAS, on March 23, 2018, the United States Congress passed its $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package for the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), which kept the government funded from October 1, 2017, through September 20, 2018, thus avoiding a potential government shutdown;

WHEREAS, the FY18 Budget passed the United States Representatives by a vote of 256-167 and passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 65-32, with bipartisan support in both Houses;

WHEREAS, the FY18 spending bill eliminated allocation for funding for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);

WHEREAS, the GCF is the largest and newest international climate fund which the Obama Administration pledged $3 billion in 2014 and made two $500 million installments in 2016 and 2017, which left the United States with a balance due to the fund of $2 billion, which is roughly 20% of the fund’s $10.3 billion in total pledges;

WHEREAS, Congress’ refusal to honor our country’s pledge of support to the Green Climate Fund not only damages the United States’ credibility and prominence in international negotiations and influence over the fund’s direction, but also undermines the 76 GCF approved projects which will avoid 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and bolster the resilience of over 217 million people to climate impacts;

WHEREAS, the IPCC and the UNFCCC are the chief international entities responsible for integrating state of the art climate science with climate diplomacy; and

WHEREAS, after funding was completely eliminated in the FY17 budget, a number of European countries voluntarily moved to increase their funding, and Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged $15 million to make up for the deficiency created by the United States is not honoring this vital international covenant.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) urges the United States Congress to maintain the international prominence and probity of our nation by restoring much-needed funding of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and restore our country’s leadership in global climate diplomacy; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NBCSL send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of Congress, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Brenda Gilmore (TN)
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Energy, Transportation, and Environment Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Chair(s): Representative Billy Mitchell (GA) and Representative Cherrish Pryor (IN)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is November 30, 2018
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gregory W. Porter (IN), President