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Climate Week En Review, February 1, 2018

by | Feb 1, 2019

I hope you’re staying indoors as much as possible this frosty week! From Florida to Minnesota, winter has come. But it will get abnormally warm soon because I ordered a new down jacket that’s schedule to arrive on a 58-degree day. And we have Groundhog’s Day to look forward to tomorrow, which means it’s time for my favorite meme:

Speaking of scientists, this Katharine Hayhoe explanation on why the polar vortex doesn’t disprove climate change is worth repeating:

This week’s must read: The great irony of climate change politics is red states face more pain (CNN) According to a study by the Brookings Institute, the areas of the country that will be hardest hit by climate change are those most resisting climate change policies. “Drill down on the political geography of climate damage and it becomes clear that in much of the country Republicans are voting for people who are opposed to climate policy even as they are most exposed to climate impacts,” write the authors of the report.

This week’s must listen: It won’t take up much of your time to listen to our spokesperson Rouzy Vafaie put a pin on why he’s EcoRight. (Yale Climate Connections)

And liberty for all: Our friends at Students for Liberty (SFL) have had to come out defending their conference line up last week. Remember the amazing picture of Alex Bozmoski? That was taken of him as he served on a panel titled “Are carbon taxes a viable solution to climate change?” where he astutely debated The Heritage Foundation, which hasn’t met a climate solution they like. Responding to criticism that big sponsors like Google and Microsoft shouldn’t have participated given presence of climate denying groups, SFL responded they take pride in “hosting events which value open, respectful debate on topics often deemed too controversial or complicated to debate in traditional political forums.”

We need to be listening to both sides, so we can figure out how to bridge our differences.

It’s getting hot in here: Last year is expected to have been the Earth’s fourth warmest year on record, according to scientific group Berkeley Earth. Their researchers concluded 29 countries, as well as Antarctica, saw their hottest recorded years.

Terminate inaction: Outspoken climate change terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed concern over the lack of urgency to act on climate change. “We really have to take care of our planet for the future of our children…If we’re not taking action now it will be soon too late,” he told CNN. “It is extremely important that in order to be successful with our environmental crusade and to fight global climate change and to fight all of the pollution we have worldwide, we all have to work together.” The former California governor spoke from the slopes of his home-country of Austria. “And the more people we bring into the crusade the better it is. The world leaders alone have not been able to solve the problem and they won’t.” Schwarzenegger has been critical of President Trump’s position on climate change, particularly his withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord. “Eventually one day he will wake up and he will realize he made a big mistake.”

Tweet of the week: Hours after President Trump tweeted “What the hell is going on with Global Waming?* Please come back fast, we need you!” in response to the polar vortex that has temperatures frosty across the U.S., NOAA tweeted:

*POTUS spelling error, not mine…

Mistakes were made: Guys, I made a mistake in last week’s email, attributing sponsorship of the 2018 Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act to Rep. Carlos Curbelo instead of to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. My apologies. Thanks to those of you who brought the flub to my attention.

Bundle up, make a fire, and enjoy your weekend, whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not.