The White House is standing up a new task force to promote trade in climate-friendly goods, climate adviser John Podesta announced Tuesday.
“We have to take a serious look at our international economic systems, including trade, and harness them for climate action,” Podesta, who serves as both domestic adviser and international envoy following the recent departure of John Kerry, said at Columbia University’s Global Energy Summit. “Global trade is a huge contributor to the climate problem. Emissions from shipping and aviation are a major factor.”
Podesta said the task force aims to create a global trading system that cuts pollution and prevents “carbon dumping,” a reference to dirty goods made with weak environmental regulations and trade elsewhere. He said the White House is “open to proposals on Capitol Hill and policy thought leaders from inside and outside the government.”
At the time of publication, the White House had no released additional details on the task force.
