What a way to kick off an already hot week. First there was our Ohio-based spokesperson Tyler Gillette’s op-ed in the Columbus Dispatch. In his thought piece EcoRight leads conservatives’ call for U.S. action on climate, Tyler writes “as a millennial and a science- minded person, I can say without reservation that climate change is the largest issue facing my generation. In fact, the urgency plus political stalemate is the stuff of nightmares. Luckily there are a few bright lights. The EcoRight is one of them. And this little thing called democracy.” Check out the full essay.
The Washington Examiner featured the op-ed A pro-growth carbon tax could lower the payroll tax, penned by Jason Fichtner, a senior lecturer in international economics at the Johns Hopkins University Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. “Conservative lawmakers must anticipate changing conservative public opinion and strategically prepare policies that address climate change while promoting economic growth instead of stifling it,” he writes. “If conservative policymakers want to minimize the volatility in the regulatory landscape during shifts in political control, conservatives must proactively create and advocate for policies to reduce carbon emissions.”
In other news, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed the state’s first Chief Resilience Officer. Julia Nesheiwat doesn’t bring much conservation experience to the job but has 20 years experience in government and academia. “As a Floridian from Lake County, I know how important this issue is for the people of Florida. With 1,350 miles of largely low-lying coastline, the impacts from climate change and sea level rise present a significant challenge; but with Governor DeSantis’ leadership and vision, Florida will be a leader for the entire country on how best to confront these issues,” she said in a statement.
Last but not least, give this 90-second Yale Climate Connections interview with longtime EcoRighter David Jenkins a listen. “We have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of the environment,” Jenkins says.
If this is what we have cooking on Monday, the week is shaping up to be productive.