Senator Markey Applauds Global Commitment on Loss and Damage as Cop27 Comes to Close

Press Release

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate and Nuclear Safety, today issued the following statement in response to news that the COP27 conference in Egypt concluded with a commitment from more than 200 nations around the world to establish a fund to address the "loss and damage" wrought by the climate crisis in developing nations. While at COP27, Senator Markey expressed his support for the United States' participation on loss and damage, including in meetings with members of parliament from developing nations like Pakistan and Nepal, nations which are disproportionately affected by an existential crisis for which they bear little culpability.

"A quarter of the CO2 in our atmosphere is red, white and blue," said Senator Markey. "The United States has a moral and planetary responsibility to partner -- not prohibit -- on equitable climate finance. Today's announcement is a historic step as the United States joins other nations in acknowledging the moral and economic need to address the irreversible and unavoidable harms of climate change faced by developing nations. The planet will be safer, more secure, and more in solidarity if the nations that have done most to cause the climate crisis--including the United States and China--work together to confront loss and damage. I will continue to advocate within Congress for robust funding and work to ensure multilateral institutions do much more to aid the international fight against climate change. We cannot leave the countries least responsible for the climate crisis to be sacrifice zones and bear this horrific burden alone."

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