House and Senate Democrats are pushing legislation that would allow the administration to sanction foreign companies and individuals who significantly contribute to climate change or censor climate activism.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) introduced S. 5306 and H.R. 10117, the “Targeting Environmental and Climate Recklessness Act,” on Wednesday. The bill was unveiled as nations gathered for the COP29 United Nations climate conference in Azerbaijan. Markey is part of the congressional delegation to the conference.
The legislation would allow government sanctions against those who perpetuate “the most destructive climate actions,” according to a press release from Markey’s office.
The bill text gives the executive branch discretion to decide what constitutes an action worthy of sanction but defines it loosely as any behaviors that “undermine efforts to limit the increase in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels; contribute to deforestation; or present specific harm to environmental defenders.”
