PARIS – Ten U.S. Senators arrived in Paris on Friday to attend the COP 21 climate talks that are now underway. 

The Senate delegation, led by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), will attend the Paris talks and participate in a series of events and bilateral meetings with world leaders in support of achieving solutions to the challenges of climate change. 

“On climate change, we are approaching a now or never moment. U.S. leadership has played a critical role in bringing us to this time in history and we will not walk away from this global opportunity. No country is immune from the impacts of climate change if we fail to act. No future generation will be protected if this generation does not act responsibly,” said Senator Cardin, the Ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Paris agreement will help create jobs in America and around the world. It will continue to diversify and strengthen economies, as well as protect public health and the environment.”

Participating U.S. Senators include: Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Senator Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota), Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey).

The delegation will attend the Climate Summit for Local Leaders at Paris City Hall and hold meetings at Le Bourget, site of the climate negotiations. Bilateral meetings are scheduled with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, former Vice President Al Gore, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, the U.S. delegation participating in the climate talks, as well as contingents from other countries.

On Saturday at 12:30, the delegation will hold a press conference at Le Bourget in Press Conference Room 1, Hall 2 that will be open to accredited reporters covering COP 21.