Media CenterSenators Supporting Green Climate Fund Praised by CRS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:          
Michael Hill
Catholic Relief Services
(410) 951-7110
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, DC., March 30, 2016 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) applauds a bipartisan effort in the Senate to ensure the continuation of U.S. support for the Green Climate Fund, a critical element in the worldwide fight against the effects of climate change in developing countries.

“We are so pleased that this group of Senators understands the importance of helping those who have the least to do with creating these environmental problems, but are suffering the most from their consequences,” said Bill O’Keefe, CRS’ Vice President for Advocacy.

O’Keefe was referring to a letter sent by four Senators – two Democrats and two Republicans – to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs which is dealing with fiscal year 2017 appropriations measures that include funding for the Green Climate Fund.

“The Green Climate Fund is a wise upfront investment in addressing climate-induced problems while we still can,” O’Keefe said. “This helps avoid destabilizing situations that can lead to more conflict, hunger, disease and refugees than what we are already seeing around the world.”

The letter – from Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Mark Kirk of Illinois; and Democrats Jeffrey Merkley of Oregon and Tom Udall of New Mexico – states that, “A wide range of developed and developing countries have already made pledges and contributions to the Green Climate Fund and projects funded by the Green Climate Fund have successfully leveraged significant private capital.”

Noting the record of bipartisan support for the Fund, the letter to Chairman Lindsay Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, concludes, “We urge you to provide funding for the Green Climate Fund, in the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.”

The Fund was established in 2010 during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. It has since been set up as an independent organization outside the UN structure, governed by a board made up of representatives from several countries, including the United States. Its mission is to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries and to help these most vulnerable societies adapt to the unavoidable impacts brought about by climate change.

Read the Green Climate Fund letter here. 

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org and follow CRS on social media: Facebook, @CatholicRelief, @CRSnews, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.