Resolution on climate change
Passed in Heidelberg, March, 2007 - proposed by Connie
Borde (DNC Member and Chair, DA France) and Donna DuCarme
(Chair, DA Netherlands)
WHEREAS the President of the United States of America,
George W. Bush has publicly acknowledged the growing threat
of climate change and both Houses of Congress are considering
multiple proposals for regulating GHG emissions within
the United States of America;
WHEREAS business leaders in the United States of America,
such as the members of the United States Climate Action
Partnership, are increasingly calling for legislators
to establish a regulatory and market-based framework for
reducing greehouse-gas emissions;
WHEREAS the alternative energy technologies needed to
tackle climate change will create a substantial number
of highly-skilled jobs, and, by taking a leadership role
in this area, many of these jobs could be generated in
the United States of America;
WHEREAS the international community has already established
market-based mechanisms for reducing GHG emissions;
WHEREAS United States businesses and agencies can curb
compliance costs by gaining access to the international
emissions trading market;
WHEREAS participation and leadership of the United States
of America in multilateral efforts to reduce GHG emissions
will motivate increased action by other countries;
WHEREAS without the participation of the United States
of America, the efforts of the international community
to fight climate change will ultimately have little or
no effect;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Democrats Abroad call for
a clear and swift decision by the Democratic National
Committee (DNC) to develop a United States Climate Change
Policy by the end of 2008 that includes United States
of America participation in multilateral efforts to slow,
stop and reverse the increase of global GHG emissions;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such a policy will provide
that the United States of America take a position of leadership
and play an active role in designing and participating
in the post-2012 (post-Kyoto Protocol) regime;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as the largest emitter of
GHGs, the United States of America has a moral obligation
to the people most affected by our actions, and therefore
the DNC will include in its policy measures that protect
and assist vulnerable populations around the world, as
well as position the United States of America as an advocate
for market-based mechanisms that foster sustainable and
clean development opportunities in developing countries.
