Pelosi invokes climate conference in spending push

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) brought up the need for a “plan” for U.S. emissions reductions ahead of a major global climate change conference as she seeks to push spending bills across the finish line. 

“Glasgow is a matter of weeks away. We want the president to be able to go there with a plan to meet our emissions promises and standards,” she said, referring to the United Nations conference slated to take place in the Scottish city in early November. 

Pelosi’s comments come as the world watches to see whether the U.S. can push forward its $3.5 trillion spending plan — which is expected to deliver major climate action if Democrats can get it done. 

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) office has projected that the legislation, combined with a bipartisan infrastructure proposal, could put the U.S. on track to reduce its emissions 45 percent over the next decade. 

But reticence expressed by both House and Senate moderates raises questions about whether the lawmakers can actually achieve their goals. 

The U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, where countries will negotiate climate action in line with the Paris agreement’s goals of limiting global warming, will take place from Nov. 1 to 12. 

Conference President Alok Sharma recently told reporters that it’s important for the U.S. to “show progress” toward its climate goals when asked about the importance of getting the spending bill done. 

The Biden administration reentered the Paris agreement, which former President Trump pulled the U.S. out of, and has said it hopes the country will cut its emissions in half in 2030 compared to 2005 levels.