‘A joke’: Dems grouse about House Republican plans for COP28

December 01, 2023

House Republicans are preparing to send more than a dozen of their own members to this year’s United Nations climate summit in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai — a record number for the GOP that not so long ago was a party seeped in climate denialism.

But instead of celebrating a new era of Republican engagement on climate action, Democrats are grousing that they are being sidelined by colleagues they say don’t have any desire to meaningfully engage in the high-stakes talks known as COP28.

“They’re clearly not interested in putting the best team on the field for climate action,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the ranking member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

“The delegation itself will be a joke because Republicans want to pimp fossil fuels everywhere they go, so that’s what they’re going to be talking about.”

Huffman said he asked to participate in the House’s official COP28 delegation, which is being run out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and co-led by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.).

“I was declined when I reached out to their [congressional member delegation],” he said, saying the response from Republicans was, “‘Sorry, no room.’”

The number of Republicans likely to attend COP28 at the end of next week could be as many as 17, based on some counts shared with E&E News by members and aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private details of the trip that remain somewhat fluid. At the same time, the number of Democrats expected to attend could be as few as four or six.

All participants are expected to hail from E&C, of which Huffman is not a member. A formal list of attendees is still in flux and not yet public due to security protocols.

A lopsided party ratio is not uncommon for congressional delegations, where it’s the majority’s prerogative to pick more of its own members than that of the minority.

Republicans are also quick to point out that this will be the first bipartisan COP delegation from the House side of the Capitol in recent memory, as then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) would typically take an army of Democrats.

“This is an historic, bipartisan House delegation going to COP28, and we’re looking forward to promoting America’s leadership in energy and reducing emissions,” said an E&C Republican aide in a statement to E&E News.

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By:  Emma Dumain
Source: E&E News