Today, President Biden signed into law the FY22 omnibus funding bill passed by Congress last week. The legislation included many programs that protect nature and address the climate crisis funded at lower levels than were proposed in either of the House or Senate bills or President Biden's FY22 budget. The final bills also failed to direct any appropriated dollars to the Green Climate Fund, which is the primary international vehicle for supporting developing countries in their efforts to respond and build resilience to the climate crisis.
Today, as WWF supporters are meeting with their Senators and Representatives to call for major increases in US global conservation and climate programs in FY23, WWF issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, Senior Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs:
"Earlier this month, the IPCC released its latest scientific report confirming in no uncertain terms that our climate is approaching a dangerous tipping point. Yet in spite of the report's dire warnings, the final FY22 funding bill passed by Congress last week fails to provide the level of investment needed from the U.S. to meet this imminent threat. While the bill manages to include some welcome increases for international conservation and climate programs, we were disappointed to see that the funding levels for these programs still fall far short of meeting the President's commitment to provide $11.4 billion in international climate finance for the developing world by 2024."
"So far, Congress has also been unable to pass legislation to provide the transformative federal investments we need to put America's clean energy transition into high gear and cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030, as the President has also pledged. Lawmakers need to get the job done on both of these counts, for the sake of our collective health and security as well as America's credibility.
"Today, WWF supporters are meeting with their Senators and Representatives in both parties to call for increased ambition and leadership on these issues. We need Congress to act and make good on the promises we have made, both to the world and to future generations of Americans."
