Outlook May 2025: Urging the long game, worldwide

by | May 8, 2025

republicEn Executive Director Bob Inglis speaks at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Dear EcoRight Supporter,

An Aussie told me recently that the philanthropy that he directs “will be looking less at the conservative/climate influencing strategy” because conservatives were unlikely to win the election in Australia.

I implored him to rethink that. “Spending money on conservative outreach when conservatives have lost would be memorable to and appreciated by those conservatives,” I told him, “It’s important to play the long game.”

In contrast, consider what your investments in republicEn.org bought in April. In Statesboro, Georgia, the Chairman of the Bullock County GOP joined us for my presentation at Georgia Southern University and then went to dinner with us. The next morning, I was on the local talk radio morning show with hosts who responded positively to the idea of addressing climate change through free enterprise innovation. The following day, I was at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, speaking to a large group of students organized by an amazing sophomore, Ben Byrd. Ben had arranged for the College Republicans, College Democrats, and American Conservation Coalition to co-sponsor the event with the Department of Political Science.

Meanwhile, Chelsea Henderson was speaking at EarthX in Dallas, Texas (pictured above). This was after Chelsea had spoken earlier in April at George Washington University and Georgetown University. Angela Larck was working social media channels, including finding that Bullock County GOP Chairman, and contractors were working to develop events for us in Florida, Georgia, and Indiana.

As I was telling my Aussie friend, pendulums swing. Recent polls indicate that the pendulum may be swinging against a set of MAGA policies. Climate disputation is certain to swing into disfavor as the realities manifest themselves.

The Bullock County GOP Chairman taught me about one of those realities in Statesboro. Over dinner, he told us that Hyundai had located its $7.6 billion EV plant close to the line in Bullock County so that they could draw adequate fresh water. Saltwater intrusion is the issue, the Chairman explained. Seventy miles away, near the mouth of the Savannah River, Fort Pulaski has seen seven inches of sea level rise since 2010—one of the fastest rates of rise in the United States. Sea level rise brings saltwater intrusion into water wells on the coastal plain, affecting Hyundai, homeowners, and farmers alike.

Thank you for knowing that it’s time to invest in right-of-center outreach on climate!

Onward,

Bob

Community Outreach & Engagement

Upcoming webinar announcement

We’re excited to announce our Q2 webinar featuring Alex Trembath, deputy director of the Breakthrough Institute.  In this webinar, Alex will explore his “Climate Hawk” perspective, arguing that the foundations of modern climate policy were laid during an era of cheap capital, geopolitical calm, and sluggish economic demand—conditions that no longer apply. 

What does this mean for climate advocates and policy design in 2025? How should a “Climate Hawk” recalibrate their approach amid shifting political and economic realities? We’re looking forward to this chance to hear from one of the most original thinkers at the intersection of technology, policy, and environmental strategy. We’ll share the recording with you next month.

Podcast

We produced five podcast episodes in April as we cruise through season ten. Drawing from the republicEn community, we featured Bill Chapman, a software developer who endeavors to host science-based conversations with conservatives on climate change; pod-friend Catrina Rorke, talking about her latest research paper; Jonathan Leonard, who created a collaborative work space for those interested in reclaiming abandoned mine lands; and conservative blogger/ACC volunteer Evan Petrohay. Then, podcast host Chelsea Henderson wrapped up the month with an episode reporting from EarthX, where she spoke on a panel on communicating climate change.

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In the Media

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Events

Upcoming events

  • 05/08: Virtual – Climate AI Workshop, University of Virginia
  • 05/21: Virtual – *WEBINAR* Climate politics in an age of inflation, invasion, and supply shocks with the Breakthrough Institute’s Alex Trembath. Produced by republicEn.
  • 09/2: Martin County, FL – Martin County Republican Party, monthly meeting guest speaker

Past events

  • 04/04: Washington, DC – Georgetown University class guest lecturer
  • 04/04: Spartanburg, SC – Sustainability Leadership Initiative “Energy and Emissions” guest speaker, Furman University
  • 04/09: Cleveland, OH – Guest speaker: “Can free enterprise solve climate change?” Case Western Reserve University Law School
  • 04/16: Virtual – Environmental Politics Class, University of Buffalo, NY
  • 04/17: Virtual – “Climate Change Communication” class guest speaker, Eckerd College, FL
  • 04/17: Washington, DC – Planet Forward Summit at George Washington University, keynote  speaker (pictured above)
  • 04/22: Virtual – Virginia Tech Sustainability class guest speaker
  • 4/22: Statesboro, GA – Georgia Southern University Presentation: “Conservative Climate Courage”
  • 04/23: Statesboro, GA – Interview: WWNS Conservative Talk Radio
  • 04/22: Dallas, TX – Panelist “Engaging the public: Communicating & Integrating Climate Messaging into Culture.” The Earth Day Women’s Summit. Earth X.
  • 04/24: Rock Hill, SC – Guest speaker: “How to Get the World (and Conservatives) in on Climate Action.” Winthrop University.
  • 05/06: Savannah, GA – Savannah South Rotary Club guest speaker