Harlem Rep. Espaillat Attends United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) In Glasgow

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a Congressional delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or “COP26,” in Glasgow, Scotland on behalf of the United States House of Representatives.

In Glasgow, the delegation will participate in bilateral meetings, panel discussions and other engagements with global leaders on top climate priorities, including the recent IPCC report, gender equity and public-private sector coordination on climate action.

View photos of Rep. Espaillat and delegation during COP26.

“We can no longer ignore the climate crisis and I commend President Biden’s leadership during this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference following the backtracking by the previous administration to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement,” said Rep. Espaillat.”I look forward to working with climate justice champions to ensure international commitments to combat the impact of global warming, and I remain committed to ensuring the effects of the climate crisis on poor, developing populations and people of color across the world remain at the forefront of our policy discussions with international leaders in attendance during this year’s conference.”

The CoDel comes shortly after the House passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act which rebuilds America’s infrastructure, tackles the climate crisis, advances environmental justice, and invests in communities that have too often been left behind. Following the Members’ return, the House is expected to pass the Build Back Act, President Biden’s signature social safety net and climate change bill. The Build Back Better Act will invest more than $550 billion to deliver the largest effort to combat climate change in American history.

“The climate crisis is the existential threat of our time, and America must continue to bring our boldest ambitions to the table to meet and beat our climate action goals,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  “Together with this outstanding, experienced and diverse delegation including Committee Chairs, Members of the House Select Committee on Climate Crisis and respected Members of Congress, I am honored to once again return to the United Nations Climate Change Conference to convey the strong commitment of the U.S. Congress in addressing this crisis and doing so in a way that puts justice and equity – particularly for indigenous communities – first.”

A champion of climate and environmental justice, during the 116th and 117th Congresses, Espaillat has introduced his Green Climate Fund Authorization Act (H.R.2774), which authorizes $4 Million for the GCF for two consecutive years to help support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to help developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.

Additionally, Espaillat introduced the Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA) Act (H.R 3036), a bipartisan, bicameral climate and national security priority in Congress to further demonstrate good faith and U.S. leadership to combat the flow of electronic waste (e-waste) internationally.

Last Congress, Espaillat passed his environmental justice amendment H.R. 9 – the Climate Action Now Act, the first congressional vote in a decade to address the threats of climate change that would ensure that the United States follows through on its Paris Agreement commitments.

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC parties (Conference of the Parties, COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to Rep. Espaillat, other Members of the delegation are:

• Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Chair, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Chair, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
• Chairwoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), Chair, House Select Committee on Climate Crisis
• Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), House Committee on Ways and Means
• Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), House Committee on Appropriations
• Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME), House Committee on Appropriations, House Agriculture Committee
• Congressman Bill Keating (D-MA), House Foreign Affairs Committee,
• Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House Select Committee on Climate Crisis
• Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House Select Committee on Climate Crisis
• Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA), House Select Committee on Climate Crisis, House Committee on Natural Resources, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
• Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), House Committee on Natural Resources, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
• Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chair, United States Joint Economic Committee, House Committee on Ways and Means, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA), House Committee on Ways and Means
• Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL), House Select Committee on Climate Crisis, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX), House Select Committee on Climate Crisis
• Congressman Mike Levin (D-CA), House Select Committee on Climate Crisis, House Committee on Natural Resources
• Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), House Select Committee on Climate Crisis, House Committee on Natural Resources
• Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), House Committee of Oversight and Reform, House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the northwest Bronx.

First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his third term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities.

He is also a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Second Vice-Chair and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where he serves as Deputy Whip.

Representative Espaillat also currently serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.