GOP senators warn negotiators: US climate goals might not last

A group of Republican senators on Thursday advised American negotiators to warn their international counterparts that President Obama’s climate goals might not survive the next administration.

In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, the senators, led by Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.), noted that American commitments to the international Paris climate deal aren’t binding and could be undone by an unfriendly Congress or Republican presidential administration.

“Joining international agreements using ‘sole executive agreement authority’ leaves the door open for any future administration to alter its course,” the senators wrote.
“Understanding this is especially important in the context of climate change policies, because Congress’s unwillingness to support the president’s international efforts is not the result of gridlock — it is the result of explicit opposition.”

 

Read More: GOP senators warn negotiators: US climate goals might not last | TheHill