Climate Change Engagement, Aid Offers Serve Broader U.S. Interests, Stern Says

摘要

Participation in international climate change negotiations and offers of climate aid to developing countries strengthen the United States' position on unrelated issues, Todd Stern, the U.S. special envoy for climate change, said at a May 25 House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing. "An enormous number of countries are extremely concerned about climate change, see it as a top priority. If the United States did not engage, apart from [addressing] climate change itself—which in and of itself is very important—it would hurt us. It would hurt us diplomatically in terms of the leverage that we have in the world," Stern said. "It matters that we are seen to be engaged and trying to be part of the solution."