America is All-In on the Climate Crisis

Rep. Barragan Returns from UN Climate Change Conference

November 18, 2022

Dear Neighbor,

Last week, I was honored to attend the United Nations Annual Climate Conference, COP27, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional Members in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The climate crisis will take a global effort to address, and America is sending a clear message: we are All-In to fight climate change.

During the trip, we highlighted the Inflation Reduction Act, America's largest investment in clean energy and climate solutions in history. I had the chance to speak about my Climate Smart Ports Act, a $3 billion investment included in the Inflation Reduction Act that will invest in zero-emissions technology to reduce emissions at ports around the country. There is a lot of work to do on ports and shipping emissions. The shipping industry emits a staggering 1 BILLION tons of carbon dioxide every year, accounting for 3% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

During the trip, I met with officials like USAID Administrator Samantha Power and Climate Envoy John Kerry to discuss ways to ensure federal funding is quickly distributed to communities who need it most.

We also highlighted the importance of transitioning off fossil fuels and urgently moving to a zero-emission maritime and transportation sector. Passenger cars are the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and switching to zero-emission cars, trucks, and freight will drastically cut global emissions.

During the trip, the Biden Administration announced a stronger proposed regulation on methane emissions from oil and gas wells. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that also harms our lungs and increases cancer risk. Stopping methane leaks is important for our communities because of the many urban oil wells in our district and Southern California. That is why I led a letter a year ago with 14 colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to the Environmental Protection Agency calling for stronger methane regulation.

President Biden announced the United States rejoined the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed our commitment to fighting the climate crisis.

We also talked about the urgent need to ensure climate and environmental funding from legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act is quickly distributed to communities impacted by pollution who need it most. Low-income and communities of color in Los Angeles and around the country are hit first and worst by climate disasters and the impacts of burning fossil fuels. These communities should be front of the line for the climate investments we make. This was also a priority at COP27 to find ways to support lower-income developing countries to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts.

To move at the speed and scale necessary to prevent climate catastrophe, we must continue to raise the bar and work with our global partners. I'm committed to working in Congress to ensure the United States meets and exceeds our climate commitments and brings environmental justice to distadvantaged communities.

Spoke at Pacific Environment's panel at COP27 on reducing emissions at ports with legislation like my Climate Smart Ports Act.

Watch My Speech on the House Floor on COP27

In Community,