Inslee for America
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday June 4, 2019 sic  June 5

Inslee Releases “Global Climate Mobilization” Plan to Assert American Leadership in the Climate Crisis

Plan would ensure United States rejoins and strengthens Paris Climate Agreement and goes further with ambitious domestic action and whole-of-government approach to confront global challenge

New York – Today, Governor Jay Inslee announced his “Global Climate Mobilization” plan, a bold and comprehensive vision for a 21st century American foreign policy that puts climate action front-and-center for the first time in history. This plan proposes 27 detailed policy initiatives that would put America in a position of international climate leadership and take new, aggressive steps to propel rapid global progress in stabilizing the climate, reversing the damages of pollution, and building sustainable prosperity.

WATCH: This morning, Jay Inslee will share the details of the plan during a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations at 7:45 AM ET in New York City, available on livestream here.
 
Following the two-year anniversary of President Trump’s decision to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement, Inslee calls not only for immediate reentry to the accord, but also for America’s commitment to strengthen it, and to use every tool available in diplomacy and foreign relations, international finance, trade, aid, and assistance to propel ambitious global climate action.
 
“Rejoining the Paris Agreement should be the first step in this agenda, but it alone is not enough to defeat the climate crisis,” said Inslee. “America must lead in strengthening the ambition in the agreement, lead a global transition off of fossil fuels, and fundamentally shift American foreign and trade policy to aggressively drive climate action around the world. America must be an international leader: And this global challenge must be met with bold global action.”
 
 
Inslee’s proposal represents the next step in his “Climate Mission Agenda,” building on the domestic focus of his “100% Clean Energy for America” and “Evergreen Economy” plans. These plans represent ambitious blueprints for fighting climate change in the United States; however, succeeding in the fight against climate change will require bold global participation, ensuring every nation around the world commits to combating the crisis.
 
Inslee’s plan is designed around five strategies:
  • Asserting America’s Leadership Role in Global Climate Action – Inslee’s plan calls for immediately rejoining the Paris Agreement with a stronger commitment to fighting the crisis—a 50% reduction in climate pollution by 2030 through his “100% Clean Energy for America” and “Evergreen Economy” plans. Under this plan, the United States will join the international Powering Past Coal Alliance, phasing out coal plant pollution by 2030. America would also lead new international efforts to slash super-pollutants such as hydrofluorocarbons, methane, and black carbon pollution; reduce emissions in aviation and maritime shipping and ports; and promote global collaboration to achieve breakthroughs in sustainable land-use and forestry, ocean conservation, and ocean-smart climate action.

  • Promoting Resilience, Justice and Stability in the Face of Climate Disruption – Inslee will address the existing reality of climate change’s impact on migration, suffering, and instability. In tandem with the implementation of Inslee’s “America’s Promise” immigration plan, the United States would resettle a historic number of refugees, work with global partners to address the root causes of displacement and migration, promote sustainable global development that lifts people out of poverty, and prioritize climate security and resilience throughout the U.S. government.

  • Setting Strong Climate and Labor Standards in International Trade – Leveraging America’s trade policies and relationships, Inslee’s proposal would put climate change and labor standards at the front of all trade and international financing decisions, including conditioning trade deals on countries’ commitment to robust implementation of the Paris Agreement. Inslee’s proposal would end past trade practices that placed corporate profits before the well-being of workers, human rights, and environmental protection; would increase barriers for fossil fuel products and prevent import of other nation’s climate pollution; and would facilitate greater trade in clean energy technologies and climate solutions.

  • Driving Investment to Build a Sustainable Global Economy – Inslee’s plan recognizes America must help catalyze global investment to spread clean energy solutions and support sustainable development goals around the world. It would double America’s commitment to the Green Climate Fund; ensure all international development assistance is climate-safe and climate-smart; mobilize massive investment in clean energy solutions—particularly in developing nations; and revitalize U.S. engagement in key bilateral and multilateral programs, such as the Clean Energy Ministerial and the Global Climate Change Initiative.

  • Taking on Fossil Fuels and Creating Climate Accountability – Inslee’s plan demands American leadership address the pernicious role that fossil fuel industries, and the leaders of fossil fuel-dependent nations, have played in undermining global progress on climate change, as well as on human rights, democracy, and global stability. It would realize the 10-year old commitments made by G20 countries to eliminate trillions in fossil fuel subsidies, and implement widespread prohibitions against financing for fossil fuel projects overseas. Under the plan, America would re-engage with nations forging ahead in fossil fuel development and deforestation, including China.

“The next President of the United States must make defeating climate change – and creating millions of jobs building a just, innovative and inclusive American clean energy economy – the foremost priority for our nation,” said Inslee. “This must extend to our engagement with the world – confronting a global challenge with global action. Or else we will face dislocation, rising scarcity, and increasing conflict on a global scale. The choice is ours.”
 
Inslee’s policy proposals would initiate new American leadership toward defeating the climate crisis, while also establishing a high-road global economy built to ensure lasting economic value and meet human needs. The plan details a clear path to protecting Americans and the world from the worst impacts of climate change, while building a strong, vibrant, and just global green economy worldwide.
 
Over the coming weeks, Inslee will continue to announce major climate policies to advance environmental justice; support rural communities and sustainable, thriving American agriculture; ensure resilient communities and disaster recovery; end all manner of fossil fuel giveaways; and protect public lands.
 
 
WHAT CLIMATE LEADERS SAY ABOUT JAY INSLEE’S GLOBAL CLIMATE MOBILIZATION PLAN
 
"Gov. Inslee has proposed a powerful, detailed plan for restoring US leadership in the fight against climate change. An important contribution on this vital topic."
– David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, and former senior official, The White House, State Department and US Department of Energy
 
“Governor Inslee has produced the most important roadmap yet on how we get to a world that can take the best science on climate change, turn it into a national policy, and a plan for global leadership that realistically puts climate at the center of American foreign policy.  Inslee doesn’t just pick up where we left off in 2016, after Paris was negotiated and we got several other important climate agreements -- he takes them to the next several levels and creates a coordinated strategy that gets the pollution down, and fast, while unlocking the power of American capital, industry, and ingenuity."
– Andrew Light, George Mason University, and former senior climate official, US Department of State

"Around the world, climate change is already causing immense harm: devastating homes, displacing millions, enriching kleptocrats and impoverishing democracies. Governor Inslee understands these immense challenges and is leading the way to a more enlightened vision for the United States and our foreign policy: one where humanity and our shared climate are put at the center."
– Julian Brave NoiseCat, Director of Green New Deal Strategy, Data for Progress
 
 "This policy shows courage, in contrast to Trump’s fear-based, bullying stance towards the world.  The US bears enormous responsibility for the climate crisis and should stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable communities everywhere in the world as we act. We should be welcoming more climate refugees into our communities.  I’m comforted by the focus on asylum seekers, migration and loss and damage, as well as the overall orientation of understanding fossil fuel billionaires as the roadblocks to justice. This is the most comprehensive, realistic, and yet revolutionary international climate policy for the United States I've seen. This plan acknowledges the possibilities and the responsibilities"
- Keya Chatterjee, author and activist
 
"Jay Inslee's plan to end coal finance overseas and expand that to oil and gas from all USG agencies and OECD countries while using the full political weight of the next US administration to extract the same commitment from China's BRI is a game changer. More importantly, the recognition that we must also de-risk clean energy investment and expand the tools the USG agencies bring to the table is climate  finance 2.0. This is an approach to climate finance that reflects the realities of the climate emergency we're in. The leadership this plan represents is needed now more than ever"
– Justin Guay, Global Climate Strategy Advisor
 
“Overall, this is a comprehensive and well-researched plan on how the United States can reclaim global leadership and respect on climate change, which is not through force or isolationism but through international cooperation and compassion. It leads through example and action, leverages our power for good, and acknowledges that our national interests are truly tied to interests of the world.”
–Greg Carlock - Green New Deal Research Director - Data for Progress