,,iii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #aee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #d1 #bjag ,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,expressing the sense of the ,senate that the ,united ,states should work in cooperation with the international community and continue to exercise global leadership to address the causes and effects of climate change1 and for other purposes4 ,whereas the consensus among climatologists and scientists studying the effects of atmospheric change1 including the ,intergovernmental ,panel on ,climate ,change1 the ,national ,academy of ,science1 the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey1 the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration1 and other agencies within the ,united ,states ,global ,change ,research ,program1 have determined that the impact of climate change will include widespread effects on health and welfare1 including increased outbreaks from waterborne diseases1 more droughts1 diminished agricultural production1 severe storms and floods1 heat waves1 wildfires1 and a substantial rise in global sea levels2 ,whereas the objective of the #aiib ,united ,nations ,framework ,convention on ,climate ,change 7,,unfccc7 is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system2 ,whereas1 under the ,,unfccc1 the ,united ,states is obligated to report its progress on reducing emissions2 ,whereas the ,senate provided its advice and consent to the ,,unfccc by division1 with two-thirds of ,senators present voting in the affirmative1 on ,october #g1 #aiib2 ,whereas1 in #bjaa1 at the #agth ,conference of the ,parties 7,,cop #ag7 to the ,,unfccc in ,durban1 ,south ,africa1 parties agreed to negotiate an agreement by the end of #bjae to reduce emissions in the post-#bjbj period2 ,whereas the ,,unfccc calls on parties to submit intended nationally determined contributions outlining voluntary individual targets for emissions reductions by the time parties convened in ,paris on ,november #cj1 #bjae1 for the #bast ,conference of the ,parties 7,,cop #ba7 to the ,,unfccc2 ,whereas1 prior to completing the multilateral ,paris ,agreement on international cooperation to address climate change1 done at ,paris ,december #ab1 #bjae1 #ahg nations1 representing more than #ig percent of global greenhouse gas emissions1 voluntarily submitted nationally determined goals and plans to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution2 ,whereas independent analyses by the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration and the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration confirmed that #bjaf was the warmest year on record1 making #bjae the second warmest year on record and #bjad the third warmest year on record1 continuing a #ce year-long warming trend with #af of the #ag warmest years on record occurring since #bjja2 ,whereas the ,united ,states-,china ,joint ,announcement on ,climate ,change of ,november #bjad included a ,united ,states goal to reduce its emissions by #bf-bh percent below #bjje levels by #bjbe and a ,chinese goal to peak emissions output by #bjcj and increase the use of non-fossil fuels to #bj percent of its overall energy portfolio by #bjcj2 ,whereas1 under the ,united ,states-,india ,joint ,announcement on ,climate and ,clean ,energy of ,january #bjae1 the two countries pledged to increase cooperation on clean energy financing and development and ,india committed to phase out use of hydrofluorocarbons and increase promotion of energy efficiency tools and reaffirmed its commitment to add #ajj gigawatts of solar capacity by #bjbb2 ,whereas small island states1 whose people are among the most vulnerable to climate change1 are threatened with partial or virtually total inundation by imminent rises in sea level and increased intensity and frequency of storms2 ,whereas global greenhouse gas emissions have remained level for the past three years1 even while global ,gross ,domestic ,product 7,,gdp7 has grown2 ,whereas ,united ,states international leadership on the global stage throughout the ,united ,nations ,framework ,convention on ,climate ,change's #bast ,conference of ,parties process resulted in unprecedented international cooperation and engagement on the development of the ,paris ,agreement2 ,whereas the ,paris ,agreement received consensus approval from the more than #aij delegates to the ,united ,nations ,framework ,convention on ,climate ,change's #bast ,conference of ,parties2 ,whereas the ,paris ,agreement reached its thresholds for entry into force faster than any other multilateral international agreement of comparable size and scope2 ,whereas1 as of the date of introduction of this resolution1 #abg of the #aig parties to the ,paris ,agreement1 representing #ha4d percent of global greenhouse gas emissions1 have officially joined the agreement1 demonstrating the urgency and importance the global community places on addressing climate change2 ,whereas the cost of inaction on climate change will have devastating impacts to the ,united ,states economy1 costing billions of dollars in lost ,,gdp2 ,whereas extreme weather1 intensified by climate change1 has already cost ,united ,states taxpayers billions of dollars each year in recovery efforts1 and will continue to increase if climate change is left unaddressed2 ,whereas decreased ,,gdp and increased costs of infrastructure repairs and other recovery efforts will significantly increase budget deficits and undermine the fiscal stability of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas climate change will have devastating public health implications1 including increased rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases1 especially in vulnerable populations like children and low-income communities1 the spread of infectious diseases1 risks to food and water supplies1 and increased premature deaths2 ,whereas the emissions reductions pledged by the ,united ,states under the ,paris ,agreement may save nearly #cjj1jjj lives in the ,united ,states by #bjcj as a result of positive health outcomes corresponding to lower air pollution2 ,whereas studies conducted by the ,,nasa ,earth ,observatory determined that as the oceans have warmed1 polar ice has melted and porous landmasses have subsided1 global mean sea level has risen by #h inches 7#bj centimeters7 since #ahgj1 and the rate of sea level rise is faster now than at any time in the past #b1jjj years1 having doubled in the past two decades1 putting #ee to #fj percent of ,united ,states citizens who live in counties touching the ,atlantic or ,pacific ,ocean1 the ,gulf of ,mexico1 or the ,great ,lakes at risk from the effects of sea level rise2 ,whereas the ,department of ,defense has identified climate change as a threat multiplier that will increase global instability and conflict with the potential to increase terrorism2 ,whereas the #bjad ,quadrennial ,defense ,review states that the impacts of climate change may increase the frequency1 scale1 and complexity of future missions1 including defense support to civil authorities1 while at the same time undermining the capacity of our domestic installations to support training activities1 and notes that-- 7#a7 climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs2 7#b7 the pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies1 societies1 and governance institutions around the world2 and 7#c7 these effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty1 environmental degradation1 political instability1 and social tensions--conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence2 ,whereas the ,department of ,defense report1 ,national ,security ,implications of ,climate-,related ,risks and a ,changing ,climate-- 7#a7 states that global climate change will have wide-ranging implications for ,united ,states national security interests over the foreseeable future because it will aggravate existing problems1 such as poverty1 social tensions1 environmental degradation1 ineffectual leadership1 and weak political institutions1 that threaten domestic stability in a number of countries2 and 7#b7 identifies four general areas of climate-related risks3 persistently recurring conditions such as flooding1 drought1 and higher temperatures2 more frequent and more severe extreme weather events2 sea level rise and temperature changes2 and decreases in ,arctic ice cover1 type1 and thickness2 ,whereas the ,director of ,national ,intelligence's #bjag ,global ,trends ,report determined that-- 7#a7 changes in the climate will produce more extreme weather events and put greater stress on humans and critical systems1 including oceans1 freshwater1 and biodiversity2 7#b7 these changes1 in turn1 will have direct and indirect social1 economic1 political1 and security effects2 and 7#c7 extreme weather can trigger crop failures1 wildfires1 energy blackouts1 infrastructure breakdown1 supply chain breakdowns1 migration1 and infectious disease outbreaks1 and will be more pronounced as people concentrate in climate vulnerable locations1 such as cities1 coastal areas1 and water-stressed regions2 ,whereas the ,department of ,agriculture has determined that climate change is likely to diminish continued progress on global food security through production disruptions that lead to local availability limitations and price increases1 interrupted transport conduits1 and diminished food safety1 among other causes2 ,whereas1 according to the ,world ,bank1 #a1fjj1jjj1jjj people currently live in countries and regions with absolute water scarcity and the number is expected to rise to #b1hjj1jjj1jjj people by #bjbe due to the effects of climate change2 ,whereas the transition to a clean energy economy is feasible with existing technology2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will create millions of jobs2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will increase ,united ,states ,,gdp and increase household income2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will save billions of dollars in avoided health costs2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will save lives and improve public health2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will lower energy costs for businesses and consumers2 ,whereas the transition to clean energy will unlock billions of dollars in private investment2 and ,whereas1 more than half of all electrical generating capacity added in the world last year was renewable3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that it is the sense of the ,senate that the ,united ,states should-- 7#a7 work in cooperation with the international community and continue to exercise global leadership in our shared responsibilities1 including holding parties accountable for meeting their commitments1 and address the causes and effects of climate change2 7#b7 remain party to the ,paris ,agreement and the ,,unfccc2 7#c7 continue demonstrating strong leadership in implementing the ,paris ,agreement2 7#d7 ensure that the development of the policies and procedures prescribed by the ,paris ,agreement achieve maximum benefits for the ,united ,states2 and 7#e7 implement its commitments under the ,paris ,agreement and the ,,unfccc4