Climate change is a defining feature of modern life, and the issue is now even spanning party lines.
The past few months have seen key policy changes that begin to address the effects of climate change. After the release of the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s Fourth National Climate Assessment, it is clear that if we do not address climate change now, the future will become a lot more expensive for all of us. This is prompting cooperation between Republicans and Democrats across Arizona and the U.S.
I work for Arizona Wildlife Federation, a statewide conservation and sportsmen non-profit. We partner with many conservative hunting groups. Yet, they have specifically asked us to address climate change because they see its effects on the wildlife and habitat they rely on. In Arizona, climate change is becoming more and more visible, and is affecting the shared interests of people from differing political backgrounds.
There is significant bipartisan support of climate legislation and practical market based solutions. Both parties support developing responsible energy, storing and sequestering more carbon on natural and working lands, maintaining existing greenhouse gas limits for power plants, vehicles, and oil and gas facilities, and setting an economy wide price on carbon pollution. Our partners in wildlife conservation across the political spectrum agree: if there was ever a time to act on climate, it is now.
ESPEN YATES From AZ Daily Sun, December 16, 2018
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