When it comes to fighting climate change, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a recent speech, “We’re rooting for every country, business, and community to get better at cutting emissions and building resilience."
The United States aims to help countries reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change.
“We’ll demonstrate a model that other countries will want to partner with and follow,” said Secretary Blinken.
“First, we’ll put the climate crisis at the center of our foreign policy and national security.”
“That means taking into account how every bilateral and multilateral engagement – every policy decision – will impact our goal of putting the world on a safer, more sustainable path.”
“Second, as other countries step up, the State Department will mobilize resources, institutional know-how, technical expertise from across our government, the private sector, NGOs, and research universities to help them.”
“Third, we’ll emphasize assisting the countries being hit hardest by climate change, most of which lack the resources and capacity to handle its destabilizing impacts.”
“Fourth, our embassies will lead on the ground.”
“They already are – helping governments design and implement climate-smart policies, while looking for ways to draw on the unique strengths of America’s public and private sectors.”
Fifth, we will spare no effort to make U.S. clean energy innovators more competitive in the global market.
And sixth, “our diplomats will challenge the practices of countries whose action – or inaction – is setting the world back.”
“When countries continue to rely on coal for a significant amount of their energy, or invest in new coal factories, or allow for massive deforestation, they will hear from the United States and our partners about how harmful these actions are.”
And finally, whenever possible, we will raise these issues with our allies and partners, and through multilateral institutions.
“This is the blueprint for American leadership on climate. Bringing together innovation from government and the private sector, communities and organizations,” said Secretary Blinken.
“The climate crisis we face is profound. The consequences of not meeting it would be cataclysmic. But if we lead by the power of our example – if we use our foreign policy not only to get other countries to commit to the changes necessary, but to make America their partner in implementing those changes – we can turn the greatest challenge in generations into the greatest opportunity for generations to come.”
