Obama Administration Proposes 38% Increase in Funding to Address Climate Change in Developing Countries

Last week (on 24 February 2010), Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, regarding the Fiscal Year 2011 international affairs budget. She discussed a variety of issues and specifically addressed climate change in both her official testimony and the Q&A session.  

According to Secretary Clinton’s testimony, the administration is requesting a total of $1.4 billion “to support core climate-change activities in developing countries.” Of this, $646 million “seeks to promote the United States as a leader in green technology and to leverage other countries’ cooperation—including through the Copenhagen Accord."

Senator Kerry (D-MA), the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, praised the administration in this opening statement for increasing international climate change financing.

"I am pleased to see that this budget includes a 38% increase in funding to address international climate change, especially in the wake of Copenhagen. While much has been said about what wasn’t accomplished at Copenhagen, far too little has been said about what was. The Copenhagen Accord united the world’s nations behind unprecedented new commitments to reduce emissions and report on their progress; and, for the first time, nations agreed on financing targets."

Ranking Republican member Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) also expressed concern about climate change during his opening statement: “The Foreign Relations Committee has paid much attention to the impacts of energy security on our foreign policy. Our current energy mix produces near-term concerns of foreign oil supply manipulation and price volatility, which will grow over time…We are also concerned about the possible crises that could occur if dramatic climate change takes hold.”

In addition to discussing funding, Clinton commented on (in the Q&A) global U.S. leadership, domestic legislation and the clean- energy race:

I cannot say how important it would be, I cannot overstate it, that we do what we can to show we are a leader in [climate change mitigation]. I say that for global political reasons. This [Copenhagen] Accord is …the very first time that developing and developed countries assumed the kind of equal responsibilities to show up, sign up, report and verify [action on climate change].” (minute 56:16 in testimony)

The domestic progress that was made in 2009 with passing a House bill…gives us a foundation [for dealing with climate change]. But this is a political issue and an economic issue. People also know it’s an environmental issue and a moral issue, but I focus on what are the strategic interests the United States has.  We have to continue to show leadership on a global issue and we have to get our economy moving in a direction where we are going to reap the benefits. (minute 58:15 in testimony)

This clean energy economy is going to be captured by other countries. The idea that we, the intellectual capital of the world, that invented so many of these component parts and processes could be outflanked and out-produced and out-generated in terms of income by other countries, led principally by China, is deeply disturbing to me. This is the industry of the future and we have jobs that are going to go to by the wayside if we’re not prepared to get in there. (minute 57:40 in testimony)