Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) want to ensure that any climate change bill lowers greenhouse gases and protects the poor and vulnerable — both at home and abroad — who contribute least to climate change but are likely to suffer its worst consequences.

We are deeply disappointed that the bill passed by the House of Representatives falls far short of the funding needed to help poor people adapt to climate change. What’s needed is an initial $3.5 billion for international adaptation programs which would rapidly increase to $7 billion annually by 2020 to help poor and vulnerable people adapt to the effects of climate change.

Poor people should not bear an undue burden of the impacts of climate change or the global adjustments needed to address it. Urge the Senate to help poor people adapt to climate change.