Republicans introduce resolution condemning UN agreement to shut down fossil fuels

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans introduced a resolution Wednesday condemning the United Nations’ recent agreement to accelerate the phase down of global fossil fuel reliance.

The lawmakers – Reps. Mary Miller of Illinois and August Pfluger of Texas – introduced the resolution less than a week after the U.N.’s COP28 climate summit in Dubai concluded. The summit saw various new climate initiatives, but delegates were forced into an “overtime” period as they negotiated the final global stocktake agreement which, for the first time ever, incorporated language calling for nations to transition “away from fossil fuels.”

“Climate conference participants flew in [to the conference] on fossil fuels, were kept comfortable by fossil fuels, and went home to a privileged lifestyle thanks to fossil fuels,” Miller said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “A net zero carbon world means the world that we know would cease to exist. These climate elitists are forcing governments to starve and freeze their own people to death as part of their sick Climate Cult.”

“The shale revolution is responsible for lifting one billion people out of poverty around the world,” added Pfluger. “The green energy cult followers are either oblivious to this fact or indifferent to the horrible consequences their anti-fossil fuels stance will have on humanity. America must separate itself from the U.N. globalists who signed our energy freedom away at COP28. We deserve the most affordable, reliable energy possible – which comes from fossil fuels.”

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The Republicans’ resolution states that the U.S. should not promote policies discouraging fossil fuel use. It further states that Congress both condemns the COP28 final agreement and calls on the Biden administration to reject the policies listed.

In addition, the resolution notes the importance of fossil fuel production and energy exports for the U.S. economy. High domestic energy production, according to the lawmakers, has led to significant declines in consumer prices.

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Overall, the top-line goal of the U.N. agreement, which COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber characterized as an “historic achievement,” is to ensure future carbon emissions reductions and limit global warming to just 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The world has already warmed about one degree above pre-industrial levels, according to the U.N.

In addition to the pledge to phase out fossil fuels, it calls for a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, includes a firm commitment to shutter coal-fired power generation, calls for greater proliferation of electric vehicles, endorses carbon capture technology and disavows fossil fuel subsidies.

“The United States supported this call for clearer language about the need to largely phase out fossil fuels, but we know this was a compromise between many parties. And that does not detract from its significance,” Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, who led the U.S. delegation at the summit, told reporters last week.

“This text also aligns with the decisions the marketplace has already made,” he said. “The message coming out of this COP is that we are moving away from fossil fuels and we are not turning back.”