Update on Paris Climate Treaty

In last week’s report on developments in the debate over the Paris Climate Treaty, I concentrated on activities by those who are urging President Donald J. Trump to break his campaign promise to withdraw from the treaty.  This week I’ll focus on activities by those of us who support the President in keeping his promise.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute, where I work, ran a thirty-second television ad on cable television news shows in the Washington, DC market 70 times over three days this week.  The press release is here, and here is a news story on Breitbart. 

Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 55 expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.  The resolution has thirteen original cosponsors, all Republicans: Andy Barr (KY), Larry Bucshon (IN), Liz Cheney (WY), Bob Gibbs (OH), Morgan Griffith (VA), Evan Jenkins (WV), Alex Mooney (WV), Scott Perry (PA), Jim Renacci (OH), David Roe (TN), Todd Rokita (IN), Keith Rothfus (PA), and Ted Yoho (FL).  A similar resolution is being circulated in the Senate and will be introduced next week.

Phil Kerpen at American Commitment published an article that argues: “[I]t would be a huge mistake to accept the legal legitimacy of Obama’s move to enter the United States into a treaty regime identical in form and structure to previous global warming treaties without the constitutionally required advice and consent of the Senate.”  We at CEI have been making the same case.

Marlo Lewis, my CEI colleague, suggests that, “President Trump should ignore the advice of Obama Administration officials on the Paris Agreement.”  He dissects an op-ed by Todd Stern, the top climate negotiator during the Obama Administration.  I had the pleasure of debating Todd Stern on WBUR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook on May 11th.  Coral Davenport of the New York Times was also on the show.

Paul Cicio, president of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America, sent a letter to President Trump on 15th May that explains why they “disagree with comments by those who say that staying in the agreement will spur investment and American competitiveness, create jobs, and ensure access to global markets.”