By Paul Roberts / For The Herald
People ask what they can do as individuals to address climate change? The short answer is vote.
Climate activists, scientists and economists generally agree, the most important actions you can take are to support candidates and policies at all levels of government that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation), prepare for climate impacts (adaptation), and support a zero-emission economy. We do not lack technological knowhow to address climate change. But we’re short on political will. The ballot box is where we express that political will.
Christiana Figures and Tom Rivett-Carnack were the architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement. In their 2020 book “Surviving the Climate Crisis” they say the most important action you can take to address climate change is to engage in politics with your vote: “Democracies are threatened by the climate crisis and must evolve to meet the challenge. In order to help them do so, we all need to actively participate. … we must hold every politician to account … Their policy platforms must strictly be informed by science.”
Hannah Ritchie, lead researcher at Our World in Data, published a book this year titled “Not the End of the World” where she offers a positive agenda for addressing climate change. Ritchie calls for creating a clean-energy economy, recommending systemic change. The first step “is to get involved in political action and vote for leaders who support sustainable actions.”
Ritchie argues that doomsday thinking is damaging. “The doom narratives are often untrue” and can be paralyzing. Positive actions are what will lead us to successes, and voting for leaders and policies that will address climate change is essential for success. Ritchie points out historical precedence for success addressing big environmental issues, including reversing the depletion of the ozone layer and solving the acid rain problem in northeastern U.S. and Canada.
On the national scene, the history is instructive and the choices are clear. The two most successful and accomplished environmental presidents are Joe Biden and Richard Nixon.
In 2022 Biden led efforts to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and in 2021 the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) with little support from Republicans. The IRA is the most sweeping climate legislation every passed in the U.S. and the IIJA provides funding for infrastructure that includes projects for clean air and water.
The Nixon administration led bipartisan efforts to pass the most environmentally friendly legislation of any U.S. administration. This included the creation of the EPA, National Environmental Policy Act (led by Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson), the Clean Air Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Nixon was not known as a strong environmental advocate. But he understood the growing bipartisan political support for a clean environment, air and water.
Today, the once grand old party has forsaken its history of supporting a clean environment in the 1970s, to demonstrate hostility to the environment and climate change action. The GOP is promoting fossil fuel extraction. Donald Trump, now the Republican presidential nominee, called the Green New Deal the “green new scam” and actively promotes the fossil fuel industry chanting: “Drill, Baby, Drill” in exchange for Bit Oil contributions.
The blueprint for this effort is outlined in the “Project 2025” report from the Heritage Foundation. The climate section was written by Mandy Gunasekara, former EPA chief of staff during the Trump administration.
The choice in November is clear and bright. Democrats will continue to support climate policies and a zero-emissions economy. Republicans will actively oppose such policies, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to global warming.
What about Washington state and local elections? Across the state and in Snohomish County, primary ballots have arrived. The time is now to examine the candidate’s positions in support of climate change: mitigation, adaptation and a zero-emissions economy.
The adage that ‘all politics is local’ applies to climate change. Developing mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies and moving towards a zero emissions economy are primarily state and local actions. This work is done locally, on the ground in our cities, towns and counties. State and local elected officials will be responsible for developing and implementing local climate action and emergency management plans.
Washington state primary ballots are in your hands, along with the Snohomish County Official Local Voters Pamphlet. Now is the time to study the races and candidates to determine what they are prepared to do to advance a climate agenda.
At the federal level, one senator and all members of Congress are up for election. In Washington state, elected positions include: governor, commissioner of public lands, insurance commissioner, attorney general and state legislative races. All will play a role in shaping climate policy. Other races include municipal elections responsible for shaping local climate actions.
Now is the time to examine these races to determine who will best support climate actions. If a candidate’s position is not clear, contact the candidate and express your concern and interest. Let them know you care about climate issues or you want to know more about their positions.
Climate change is an existential threat. Now is the best time to raise these issues, to ask questions of the people who want to represent you, and to vote for climate actions.
Paul Roberts is retired and lives in Everett. His career spans over five decades in infrastructure, economics and environmental policy including advising Washington cities on climate change and past Chair of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Board of Directors.
Eco-nomics
“Eco-nomics” is a series of articles exploring issues at the intersection of climate change and economics. Climate change (global warming) is caused by greenhouse gas emissions — carbon dioxide and methane chiefly — generated by human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels and agricultural practices. Global warming poses an existential threat to the planet. Successfully responding to this threat requires urgent actions — clear plans and actionable strategies — to rapidly reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate-influenced events.
The Eco-nomics series, published regularly in The Herald, is focusing on mitigation and adaptation strategies viewed through the twin perspectives of science and economics. Find links to the series thus far at tinyurl.com/HeraldEco-nomics.
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