Senator: Paris climate talks a recipe for slow U.S. growth

By Pete Kasperowicz, Pete Kasperowicz

Published December 20, 2015

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., is warning that next week's climate talks in Paris will result in a deal that locks in slow economic growth in the United States for years to come.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Barrasso said goal of the talks is to get countries to reduce carbon emissions. But he said the Obama administration's top negotiator, Todd Stern, said he's willing to give developing countries a break from tough emission caps in order to let them keep up their economic growth.

Barrasso said Stern recently told the Senate that in those cases, "it's pretty hard to say you're supposed to slam on the brakes and go negative overnight."

"Why should the U.S. accept a plan — and pay to grease the deal — that keeps its economy stuck at 2 percent growth while American taxpayers subsidize other countries' economies growing at 9 percent?" Barrasso asked.