Welcome to Wednesday (or as I call it, Friday Eve Eve) and a midweek wrap of ecoright climate news.
The Governator makes a new friend: Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted out a clip of him with the newly elected President of France, Emmanuel Macron, vowing to “make the planet great again.” Schwarzenegger, who said he and Macron talked about “environmental issues and a green future” together, has been a long-time advocate for policies to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change.
I was truly honored to meet with President @EmmanuelMacron about how we can work together for a clean energy future. He’s a great leader. pic.twitter.com/MSoxjIruup
Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) June 23, 2017
Mayors march forward: At a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors over the weekend, a dozen mayors, including Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, signed a climate oath, vowing to “intensify efforts to meet each of our cities’ current climate goals” and “create a 21st century clean energy economy.” Regalado, a Republican in a non-partisan position, later said “It’s disturbing that we keep hearing and reading that climate change and civil rights is a partisan issue, that Democrats think one way and Republicans think another way… we’re looking to Washington, but we’re not hopeful.” Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, the longtime Republican mayor of Burnsville, Minnesota, said “everybody cares about the environment, and everybody wants clean air and clean water… We don’t really need the federal government. We are going to do what’s right for our people.”
Time for climate solutions: Retiring Republican Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in a blog post for the Ocean Conservancy, cited the many economical reasons for her region to embrace climate change action. With Miami alone supporting an annual tourist industry of more than $25 billion, 175,000 jobs across the state in commercial and recreational fishing, and local economic benefits to South Florida’s coral reefs, she called it “critical” to “identify climate solutions” for the Sunshine State. “I believe that together, we can identify solutions to climate change that are economically viable and preserve our coastal communities, our culture and our way of life,” she wrote. Ros-Lehtinen is a co-sponsor of the Stefanik climate resolution and a member of the House Climate Solutions Caucus.
Debate club: Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, speaking to reporters for the kick-off of what the Administration is calling “Energy Week” called for an open debate on climate change. “I mean, what is the other side? The people who say ‘the science is settled. It’s done. If you don’t believe that, you’re a skeptic. A luddite.’ I don’t buy that,” he said. “This is America. Have a conversation. Let’s come out of the shadows of hiding behind your political statements and let’s talk about it. What’s wrong with that? And I’m full wellyou knowI can be convinced. But why not, let’s talk about it.” We welcome that debate!
That’s it for this newsy day!