Republicans are drawing fire from conservative groups for considering giving money to a climate change fund as they negotiate with Democrats on a government spending bill.
“The fact that Republicans would even consider a deal that funds the Green Climate Fund is breathtakingly foolish,” said American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle, who advocates on energy and environment issues, and supports the GOP’s push for lifting the ban on crude oil exports.
The Green Climate Fund, which was included in the non-binding climate deal agreed to Saturday in Paris, would be used to help developing nations cope with the effects of climate change. The administration has pledged $3 billion to the fund. The fund is set to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 and has become a popular punching bag for the Republicans.
“Just this week, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized President Obama over the Paris agreement stating that the president ‘is making promises he can’t keep’ and ‘writing checks he can’t cash,'” Pyle said.
Yet, the green fund now is being discussed to get Democratic buy-in for a end-of-year spending bill that includes lifting the 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports, which the GOP wants included.
A leading climate change proponent on Capitol Hill, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is pressing for increasing the amount for the Green Climate Fund above the administration’s pledge. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada supports the push.
Reid said Tuesday that the only issue holding up a deal is Republicans’ staunch support for lifting the export ban, while resisting other Democratic demands for extending renewable energy credits.
Pyle warned in a blog post that his group will score against any deal if the “president’s climate slush fund” and wind credits are included.
