Markey traveling to Copenhagen for climate meetings

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House cap-and-trade legislation, will attend meeting this weekend in Copenhagen ahead of a December U.N. conference on climate change.

Markey, along with Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) drafted the legislation, which would put in place the first carbon regulations on the American economy. The House passed the measure in June and a counterpart bill has been introduced in the Senate. 

Critics of the bill say that the regulations will damage the economy by placing heavy taxes on businesses. Work on the bill will likely not be completed until next year after the U.N. conference.

The chairman of the House Select Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee will attend preliminary meetings this weekend as part of Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) International. 

According to a release from Markey's office, the meeting is intended to "discuss how other countries are progressing towards creating an effective and fair international climate agreement."

Markey said in the statement, "these meetings show that political consensus can be reached by the countries integral to reaching an international climate agreement."

He continued, saying "when it comes to U.S. participation in international negotiations, House passage of the Waxman-Markey bill, and Senate action on similar legislation, are vital to America’s ability to reach a final agreement."

"I look forward to helping the Obama administration and other countries reach our ultimate goal of success in Copenhagen and beyond."