WASHINGTON – Ambassador Katherine Tai today released a statement celebrating Earth Day, highlighting her commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change through trade policy. Ambassador Tai recently laid out her vision for addressing one of the biggest challenges facing the world during her first major policy speech.
“This Administration has been clear from Day One that protecting our environment and addressing climate change is a core pillar of the Build Back Better agenda. President Biden fulfilled his promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement, and this week he welcomes 40 world leaders to a Summit on Climate, underscoring the urgency – and economic benefits – of taking bold collective action.
“USTR will enthusiastically embrace our responsibility to help solve one of the defining challenges of our time by leveraging trade tools to avert an unfolding economic crisis and protect our planet. We will meet the moment by working collaboratively with our trading partners, unrepresented communities and other key stakeholders to find creative solutions. The environment, climate change, labor, and trade are key to our ability to compete, innovate, and create good-paying jobs that provide hope and opportunity for future generations and underserved communities.
“We will ensure full implementation and enforcement of the environment obligations in our trade agreements. We must continue discouraging a race to the bottom and incentivize a race to the top by pursuing new and ambitions rules to conserve vital resources. And we will explore regulatory and market-based approaches to achieve our net zero goals. Doing this hard work is necessary for our economic resilience, and the long-term sustainability of our way of life, the health and safety of our children, and our future.”
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