As the Washington, DC area braces for our first and worst (if you’re like me and hate hot weather) heat wave of the summer, here’s what’s going on in eco-right land.
Resilience: In Miami, Republican Mayor Tomas Regalado released a proposal budget, his final as mayor. The $1 billion proposal includes investments for climate change preparation, including a $600,000 bump for a new resiliency office tasked with bracing the coastal city for the impacts of climate change.
Advancement: Mayor Steve Hogan of Aurora, Colorado put his support behind the state’s plan to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement. “We can no longer rely on what happens or doesn’t happen in Washington, D.C.,” Hogan said, while touting his state’s desire to move forward not back on energy policy.
Readiness: President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of the Navy, Richard V. Spencer, told the Senate Armed Services Committee considering his confirmation he is “totally aware of rising water” and other threats posed by climate change. “We must protect our infrastructure, and I will work hard to make sure we are keeping an eye on that because without the infrastructure, we lose readiness.” (Fun side note: my old boss, Senator John Warner, gave an opening statement supporting Spencer’s nomination.)
Jester-in-waiting: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt expressed support for televising the so-called red team process he’s suggested for reviewing climate science. “There are lots of questions that have not been asked and answered [about climate change],” Pruitt said in an interview on Monday. “Who better to do that than a group of scientists… getting together and having a robust discussion for all the world to see… You want this to be on full display. I think the American people would be very interested in consuming that. I think they deserve it.”
As the next few days threaten to reach 100 degrees, we’ll continue to keep our eyes on the news and our daydreams on ice cream, frozen drinks, and ski slopes.