By Jeff Dorian, Orlando Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Why are conservatives alarmed at threats from China, but not from climate-fueled disasters such as monster hurricanes, deadly fires and increasing droughts? It’s especially dubious here in Florida, where the conservative old guard bristles at electric car incentives, not to mention the words climate change. Some would also like to tag the carbon-pollution-reducing (and job-producing) benefits of the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act as wasteful.
It seems to me, especially here in Florida, that climate change is undeniable. At 72, with almost 60 years living in South Florida, I’ve been through several hurricanes, big and small. My conservative neighbors may not yet have witnessed how they are getting bigger, wetter and – most alarmingly – subject to rapid intensification. But there’s no denying homeowners insurance increases. We are all paying for increasing storm damages of bigger hurricanes and excessive development of our vulnerable coast.
The exodus of insurance companies from Florida (and California) as well as the anxiety of the approaching monster hurricane season may hit home for many. What are we willing and able to pay to live here? Let’s pray we don’t suffer a cataclysmic hurricane soon and that it won’t take such an event to get everyone onboard. It will take all hands on deck to support actions, big and small, to stop the cause of increasing climate-fueled disasters.
A recent poll by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication showed less than 1 in 5 conservative Republicans think that global warming is hurting Americans now or will do so within 10 years. This is some of the thinking a nationwide group of citizen advocates seek to influence as they politely ask to meet with members of the U.S. Congress this June.
More than 1,000 Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) members will travel to Washington, D.C., to prepare for the meetings. They’ve been doing this for over 15 years. There are two days of preparation followed by a day of meetings at offices of more than 400 members of the U.S. Congress – Democrats, Republicans and independents.
Members have influenced policies in the past to protect and grow forests, enable farmers to sequester carbon and accelerate permitting reform for approval of new energy projects. They doubled down when the Inflation Reduction Act was bogged down in the Senate in 2022 and celebrated its passage in August that year.
With their policy priorities, CCL aims to reduce and mitigate emissions, work with both parties in new ways and push them toward greater action. These policies will increase our effectiveness and work in tandem with the priorities of Congress. Together, they will help lower U.S. carbon emissions to net zero.
All the training and awareness of eight years volunteering with CCL has given me a sense of urgency as well as hope. Young Republicans like my nephew are becoming more likely to think global warming is happening. There is lots of bipartisan work being done in Congress to promote clean affordable energy. We all want to ensure a future of American prosperity by acting to limit the costly effects of a warming planet.
We can do it. There is a plan. It takes political will. Let’s double down. Join us: CitizensClimateLobby.org.
Jeff Dorian is co-leader of the Orlando chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
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