Washington, D.C. - Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement on National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2012 State of the Climate, a peer-reviewed report by over 380 leading scientists from the U.S. and around the world.

Senator Boxer said: "NOAA's 2012 State of the Climate report confirms once again that climate change is happening now and the evidence is all around us. The report includes findings that the U.S. had its warmest year on record, carbon pollution continues to increase, sea levels have reached record highs, and Arctic sea ice is rapidly disappearing. We can't ignore these warnings and must address climate change so that we can protect our people, local communities, and the nation's economy. These findings underscore how correct the President is when he calls for enforcement of the Clean Air Act to address carbon pollution."

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