Climate Crisis Committee to Hold Hearing on Ocean-Based Climate Solutions

WASHINGTON - The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a hybrid hearing titled “Turning the Tide for Ocean Climate Action: Unleashing the Climate Benefits of Our Blue Planet” on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. ET. The hearing will take place in Room 210 Cannon House Office Building and via Zoom video conferencing. It will be broadcast live here.

This hearing will examine the role the ocean plays in the climate crisis and the need to develop and invest in ocean-based climate solutions, both at home and abroad, to build resilient ecosystems and communities.

The committee will receive testimony from:

Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Since June 2021, Dr. Spinrad has been responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of NOAA, including its mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts, as well as helping conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. He previously served as NOAA’s Chief Scientist under President Obama and led NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and National Ocean Service.

Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State. Medina and her team provide leadership to conserve and protect the global environment and ocean. Prior to this role, Assistant Secretary Medina was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service; a former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; General Counsel of NOAA; and a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.

More information about the hearing, including a live webcast, will be available on the committee’s website here.