Expressing the need for immediate climate action in response to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 589 Expressing the need for immediate climate action in response to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. KIL- MER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. KEATING, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. SHALALA, Mr. LEVIN of California, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. CASE, Mr. TAKANO, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. SCHRIER, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. BEYER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. PORTER, Mr. NEGUSE, Mrs. DAVIS of California, and Mr. MORELLE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com- merce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse- quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Expressing the need for immediate climate action in response to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Cli- mate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. Whereas every person on the planet benefits from a healthy ocean and a stable cryosphere; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HRES 589 IH Whereas the ocean covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface; Whereas the cryosphere includes the frozen components of the Earth’s system, including snow, glaciers, ice sheets, ice shelves, icebergs, sea ice, and permafrost; Whereas glaciers, ice sheets, and permanent snow hold ap- proximately 69 percent of Earth’s freshwater; Whereas the ocean generates the oxygen that we breathe, reg- ulates our climate and weather patterns, supplies food, is a source of cultural value, supports tourism and trade, and is an untapped renewable energy resource; Whereas the ocean and cryosphere support biodiversity and regulate the global exchange of water, energy, and car- bon; Whereas, on September 25, 2019, the United Nations Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC); Whereas the SROCC is the most comprehensive scientific as- sessment of the effects of climate change on our ocean and coasts, and polar and mountain ecosystems to date; Whereas more than 100 scientists from 36 countries pro- duced the SROCC and it was reviewed by thousands of scientific experts from around the world; Whereas according to the SROCC— (1) the ocean has taken up more than 90 percent of excess heat in the climate system since 1970 and has warmed as a direct result of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HRES 589 IH (2) marine heatwaves have very likely doubled in fre- quency from 1982 to 2016 and are very likely to become longer-lasting, more intense, and more extensive; (3) the rate of ocean warming has more than dou- bled since 1993; (4) the ocean has very likely absorbed up to 30 per- cent of total anthropogenic carbon since the 1980s, caus- ing the ocean to become more acidic; (5) the ocean is losing oxygen at an unprecedented rate, and oxygen loss will very likely emerge over 59 to 80 percent of the ocean surface by 2031–2050; (6) harmful algal blooms have expanded and in- creased in frequency in coastal environments since the 1980s as a result of ocean warming, acidification, and ox- ygen loss; (7) in some regions, fish and shellfish stocks are al- ready on the brink of collapsing; (8) environmental stressors like ocean acidification, oxygen loss, and warming ocean temperatures are ex- pected to further compromise the abundance, produc- tivity, and food-web interactions of species; (9) the decrease in biodiversity, and decline and shifts in distribution of fisheries will affect the livelihoods and food-security of coastal communities; (10) warmer ocean temperatures are fueling extreme weather events; (11) currently rare extreme sea level events are ex- pected to occur frequently by 2050; (12) in the absence of significant adaptation efforts, extreme events associated with sea level rise, like erosion, flooding, and salinization, are expected to significantly in- crease; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HRES 589 IH (13) nearly 50 percent of coastal wetlands have been lost over the 20th century, and 20 to 90 percent of coast- al wetlands are projected to be lost by 2100 as a result of sea level rise and habitat degradation; (14) coastal blue carbon ecosystems can contribute to climate mitigation by storing carbon; (15) river runoff in snow-dominated and glacier-fed basins are projected to change in response to projected snow cover and glacier decline; (16) glacial and snow meltwater reductions have re- sulted in reduced water supply, declined agriculture pro- ductivity, and increased wildfires in mountain regions and the Arctic; (17) tourism and outdoor recreation activities have been negatively affected by the cryosphere decline; (18) Arctic sea ice is declining in all months of the year and sea-ice free summers are increasingly likely under 2°C of global warming; (19) Arctic surface air temperatures have likely in- creased by more than double the global average in the last two decades, resulting in more sea ice and snow cover loss; and (20) widespread thaw and degradation of permafrost is projected to occur this century and is anticipated to re- lease tens to hundreds of billions of tons of carbon diox- ide and methane into the atmosphere; Whereas the United States is already facing the consequences of inaction on climate change; Whereas communities of color, Indigenous communities, and low-income communities often face the disproportionate effects of inaction on climate change; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •HRES 589 IH Whereas reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to a clean energy economy, and investing in climate adapta- tion efforts can support good-paying jobs; Whereas, in 2018, the IPCC released a special report titled ‘‘Global Warming of 1.5°C’’ which found that to limit global warming to 1.5°C, net global greenhouse gas emis- sions must be reduced to 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030 and 100 percent below 2010 levels by 2050; Whereas the United States has a responsibility to enact poli- cies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent below 2010 levels no later than 2030 and achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050; and Whereas as Congress enacts policies to put the country on a path to net zero emissions, there is an opportunity for the ocean to be part of the climate solution: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) recognizes and accepts the findings of the 2 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special 3 Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing 4 Climate; 5 (2) commits to supporting ocean-centric solu- 6 tions to the climate crisis in conjunction with poli- 7 cies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including— 8 (A) strengthening, restoring, and pro- 9 tecting our wetlands, such as mangroves, tidal 10 salt marshes, and seagrass meadows to store 11 blue carbon; 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 6 •HRES 589 IH (B) investing in ocean driven renewable en- 1 ergy, including offshore wind, tidal, and wave 2 energy, that is responsibly sited and does not 3 jeopardize the integrity of marine ecosystems; 4 (C) supporting the electrification of the 5 maritime industry and our ports; 6 (D) advancing the exploration of the se- 7 questration potential of the deep sea; 8 (E) permanently safeguarding our coasts 9 from offshore oil and gas drilling; 10 (F) designing Marine Protected Areas that 11 safeguard ecosystems; and 12 (G) strengthening scientific research and 13 monitoring to improve adaptation efforts to 14 changing ocean conditions; and 15 (3) affirms that immediate action is needed to 16 reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect the 17 health of our ocean and the stability of the 18 cryosphere. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS