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What's On Our Mind ...
Today on Earth day we, as a global community, reflect on the state of our climate. It is also an opportunity to see what more we can do to protect our natural resources.
While we each have a personal responsibility to be stewards of our environment, it is more challenging when we have a Congress that has nearly 140 members who are climate change deniers, and have accepted more than $61 million in contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industries.
They fail to understand that with 2020 as the warmest year on record and a 1.5˚C increase in global temperature looming, the structure of our lives are in jeopardy. But keeping their seats and contributions is more important than a planet our children can live on.
Science magazine reported that a change in temperature of one standard degree was associated with a 2.3 percent increase in interpersonal conflict rates and a 13.2 percent increase in the rate of intergroup conflict. By 2050, temperatures are expected to rise by two to four standard degrees in some places.
Civil unrest, food shortages, water scarcity, diseases, and resultant increased migration will be a consequence of the GOP’s climate change blindness. They are placing all of us in active danger. We know from the COVID pandemic that when science is denied people die.
JAC is supporting candidates who are committed to halting climate change such as Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Reps. Elaine Luria (VA), and Sean Casten (D-IL).
Warnock has framed climate change as a moral issue. Luria committed herself to “ensure all Americans can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and have access to pristine natural environments." Casten (D-IL), one of only two scientists in Congress, cosponsored a host of bills to promote conservation.
Warnock, Luria, and Casten are just a few of the many JAC candidates who are committed to fighting for our climate future. Without their reelection, we risk the unchallenged actions of 139 deniers in Congress who will fail to act on sound environmental policy.
For a list of all pro-climate JAC candidates click here. Elections have consequences — for our climate and for our future.
source: Time
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