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4/19/2022

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action | U.S. De…

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the
Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action
April 19, 2022

As Prepared for Delivery
The most recent report from the IPCC underscored the urgency with which we need to act to
avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Unfortunately, Russiaʼs war of choice in Ukraine
has made it even more challenging to keep a global warming limit of 1.5 degrees within reach
as we grapple with the fallout from a new major geopolitical and humanitarian catastrophe
that imperils international economic cooperation.
Europe is currently focused on its plans to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels by
diversifying supply chains and doubling down on clean energy investments. These e orts
highlight the need for us all to take actions that safeguard our energy needs and build
resilience to market volatility.
We know that a key path to energy security runs through renewable energy. Our priority – not
only in the United States and Europe, but globally – should be on increasing deployment of
energy e iciency measures while rapidly scaling up clean energy capacity. And of course, for
many emerging markets this must be done while also expanding energy access.
This will require hard decisions and economic investments. Existing fossil fuel infrastructure is
working against us, driving us instead towards reaching climate tipping points this decade.
Today we need to collectively choose the future we want through public policy design and
expediting investments in sustainable infrastructure.
At the same time, we understand that every countryʼs path to net-zero will look a bit di erent,
and our policy decisions will reflect the unique circumstances in each jurisdiction.
This only underscores the need for us to enhance international coordination and carry
forward work to better understand the relationship between the policy levers available to us
and their cross-border distributional and macroeconomic e ects.

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4/19/2022

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action | U.S. De…

That is why I am glad to see the Coalition, G20, and G7 undertake specific workstreams this
year to address these challenges.
I also welcome the launch of the new report “Driving Climate Action through Economic and
Fiscal Policy and Practice.” And I am also pleased that the United States is co-leading the
e ort with Denmark to mainstream climate into economic policy under Helsinki Principle 4.
The report highlights that while finance ministries collectively work to reduce our emissions
today and into the future, we must also not lose sight of the global needs to adapt to the
impacts of an already changing climate.
Adaption is a core priority for so many countries that are already facing the harsh impacts of
climate change today. It is not a choice – it is matter of survival.
At COP26, the U.S. government launched PREPARE, the Presidentʼs Emergency Plan for
Adaptation and Resilience, which outlines a coordinated approach that will put into action the
largest U.S. commitment ever made to reduce climate impacts on those most vulnerable to
climate change worldwide.
As the Coalition continues its 2022 work, I encourage us to seek out opportunities to work
with Egypt heading towards its COP27 Presidency. We should build on the COP26 success and
again demonstrate the importance of finance, and finance ministries, in addressing the
climate crisis.
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