The Hottest Summer on Record

The Hottest Summer on Record

by | Nov 15, 2023 | Climate Impact

The sweltering Summer of 2023 has come to a close. According to NASA and the World Meteorological Organization, it was Earth’s hottest summer on record, with July and August being the two hottest months ever recorded. Our warming climate has moved well beyond the era of minor temperature fluctuations and scientific modeling, it is slapping us in the face by smashing records and adversely affecting people’s lives.

Here in the U.S., more than a dozen cities experienced their hottest summer ever. These include Pensacola, Sarasota and Key West, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Del Rio, El Paso, San Antonio and Victoria, Texas; and Roswell, New Mexico.

We are seeing real impacts on our health, on our economy and cost of living, and on our water and food supplies. The impacts of climate change are impossible to ignore, and its time for conservatives to get more engaged in crafting real solutions.

Climate change is driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the Earth’s atmosphere, gases that act like a blanket to trap more the sun’s heat rather than allowing it to escape back into space. That extra heat not only results in sweltering heatwaves, it affects weather patterns, intensifies storms, expands the range of destructive or dangerous pests, and fuels wildfires.

Florida, Arizona, California

We have witnessed some record-breaking heat that put all previous summers to shame. NASA’s temperature data show that this summer’s record heat was not just a small blip on the radar. Average temperatures across the country during these months reached levels we’ve never seen before, bringing with them a multitude of challenges for both the environment and our well-being. Florida, Arizona, and California are just a few states to name that faced significant challenges.

Florida, known for its sunny and humid climate, felt the full force of the summer heatwave. With average temperatures consistently exceeding 90°F and the heat index well above 100°F, High humidity levels made it even more oppressive, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Florida’s environment has taken quite a hit too. The long-lasting heat and drought brought more wildfires, disrupted our freshwater supplies, and severely damaged our agriculture industry. And the craziness didn’t stop there. Ocean water in the Gulf of Mexico simmered to a record—and hot tub like—104°F. The state’s coastal areas are also dealing with more frequent and worse storm damage thanks to rising sea levels and stronger storms.

That is a lot of stress on the Sunshine State’s economy, its natural ecosystems, and the wallets of every Floridian.

In Arizona, where hot summers are the norm, this past summer shattered previous records. The state’s residents had never before experienced anything like it.

Phoenix had the hottest single month of any U.S. city, with every day of July at or exceeding 110°F. In fact, Phoenix had 55 days over 110°F, with in the temps regularly above 115°F. The city even hit a scorching 120°F on some days. That’s seriously intense heat, and it’s no joke – it can be life-threatening. Local authorities had to step in and issue heat advisories to make sure everyone stayed safe.

Arizona’s record-breaking summer heat is also further stressing the state’s water supply by increasing the demand for water and by causing greater evaporation from Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The region’s decades long drought and reduced snowpack in the Rocky Mountains have already reduced the flow of the Colorado River, which Arizona and several other Western States depend on, to a tiny fraction of what it is supposed to be.

Record heat also hit other parts of the country, including Texas, California, Colorado, Oregon, Montana, New Mexico, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, and North Carolina.

In Canada, heat and drought contributed to a hellish and record shattering wildfire outbreak of more than 6,500 fires burning more than 25 million acres. The massive amount of smoke from those fires drifted over large sections of the U.S. Resulting in code red air quality alerts and forcing outdoor events indoors.

The smoke was so thick in New York City that a Yankees game was postponed and flights in and out of LaGuardia were cancelled. In Philadelphia, a Phillies game was and all outdoor school field trips were cancelled. Concerts and plays from Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. were cancelled as well. In Northern Virginia the smoky air forced the state high school lacrosse semi-finals indoors.

Flashing Red

The summer of 2023 isn’t some one-off thing; it’s a giant WARNING sign flashing red about the future impacts of climate change. While some of this unfortunately baked in due to our failure to head the warnings of wise conservative leaders like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, it’s not too late to reduce GHG emissions and make things better for our children and grandchildren.

Like President Reagan said, “the preservation of our environment is not a partisan challenge; it’s common sense.” We conservatives have to get more involved in pushing for solutions. Leaving up to the left over the past few decades hasn’t really moved the ball very far. It’s time for us to leverage the power of the free market in this challenge to reduce GHG emissions.

Making that happen is up to you. Our decision makers have to feel pressure from the constituents they care most about. President Reagan summed up our obligation perfectly when he, speaking about our natural environment, said, “This is our patrimony. This is what we leave to our children. And our great moral responsibility is to leave it to them either as we found it or better than we found it.”

Let’s not let them down.

Climate Change Basics

Climate Change Basics

by | May 2, 2023 | Climate Impact, Uncategorized

Climate change is an important issue facing our world today. Essentially, it refers to long-lasting changes in the global temperature, precipitation, and other weather patterns, which at present, are mostly being caused by the emission of greenhouse gases.

Why is climate change important?

Climate change is important because it affects the entire planet, and all of us who live on it—now and in the future. Rising air and ocean temperatures change weather patterns, resulting in sea level rise, and extreme weather events such as stronger storms, drought (and related wildfires), heat waves, and flooding. Other impacts, such as increased spread of disease and habitat loss are equally concerning. These changes are already wreaking havoc on peoples’ lives, agricultural crops, and our economy.

What causes climate change?

The increase in greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere is the primary cause of present day climate change. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that occurs when certain gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane, trap a portion of the sun’s heat and prevent it from dissipating into space. This insulating layer of gas is how, what President Reagan called “this magical planet God gave us”, maintains a suitable climate for life. However, emitting too much of these gases into the atmosphere—particularly the pollution caused by burning fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil—amplifies the greenhouse effect and causes our climate to overheat.

To learn more about what climate change is and what is causing it, check out our climate science basics page here.

What can we do about climate change?

There are many ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and alleviate the effects of climate change. Some examples include:

Follow the market. Today’s energy market provides a golden opportunity to advance real climate solutions that help our economy. By embracing the present energy market and relying on climate-friendly energy sources such as solar with storage, wind, and nuclear, which are now more economical than traditional coal and gas plants, we can effectively combat climate change while simultaneously reducing our energy costs.

Support fiscally responsible and economically viable policies and regulations that promote the use of cleaner and cheaper energy sources, which will save us money while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These policies include long-term clean energy standards to nudge monopoly utilities in the right direction, cap and trade plans like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), home efficiency tax credits, and electric infrastructure that facilitates the growth of renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Promote awareness and educate fellow conservatives about the origins and consequences of climate change. Advocate for others to take action and endorse economically sensible and fiscally responsible policies.

Why do conservatives need to engage on this issue?

Many Americans recognize the significance of climate change, which has become a focal point for the left, leading to the perception that conservatives are unconcerned about environmental issues.

It is crucial that conservatives be involved in addressing climate change as the approach taken to reduce emissions can have significant impacts on our economy. Conservative leadership has a history of providing successful, productive, and long-lasting solutions to environmental issues, including smog, water pollution, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Therefore, our constructive engagement is essential.

We conservatives have a noteworthy record when it comes to implementing solutions to address climate change. During his presidency, Reagan pushed through the most successful environmental treaty in history, the Montreal Protocol. It is an international agreement to phase out chemicals that were depleting earth’s protective ozone layer. This treaty not only facilitated the recovery of our atmosphere’s ozone layer, but it has also reduced greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Another notable example is President George H. W. Bush. President Bush took part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations. Over 150 countries pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prepare national action plans, and conduct crucial scientific research and monitoring.

Lately, we have relinquished control of this issue to the left, which could be a dangerous decision. By not actively participating in developing solutions for climate change, we run the risk of solely relying on “solutions” proposed by the left. And as we know, those are often not real solutions at all.

It is time for us to rise to the occasion and start taking action.

Is Hurricane Ian the New Normal?

Is Hurricane Ian the New Normal?

by | Oct 10, 2022 | Climate Impact

The devastation caused in Florida recently by Hurricane Ian is unprecedented. A record-breaking storm surge, a “once in a thousand year” rainfall event, and a storm that will easily go down as the most expensive hurricane to ever hit the state.

On Sept. 26, Ian had top winds of 75 miles per hour (mph). By the next day, Hurricane Ian was sitting at a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds. Only hours later, Ian had become a strong and massive Category 4. Its 155 mph winds just a couple mph short Category 5 strength. This rapid intensification, in addition to producing stronger storms, make storm preparation and evacuation more challenging.

Since 2005, the rapid intensification of hurricanes has become much more common. The warmer ocean waters that result from climate change create near perfect conditions for hurricanes to gain strength quickly. In addition to Ian, hurricanes Maria, Dorian, Harvey, Ida, and Katrina all experienced rapid intensification.

Warming ocean water and air temperatures are the primary reason these storms are larger in size and bringing record rainfalls. The warmer the air, they more moisture it can hold. This is a very dangerous thing because bigger and stronger hurricanes lead to higher storm surges combined with greater inland flooding from rainfall.

The result is a double whammy that our infrastructure was never designed to handle.

That’s not all. Meteorologists and climate scientists suspect that this same warming is a principle cause of these storms slowing down over land, sometimes just sitting over the same area for hours.

The ultimate example of this was Dorian, a Category 5 hurricane that hit the Bahamas in 2019. Dorian sat over Grand Bahama for 24 hours straight with winds up to 185 mph (stronger than Hurricane Irma) and heavy rainfall. After Dorian finally moved out, Grand Bahama was devastated—leveled in fact. It looked like a nuclear bomb had went off.

Now, while much of Florida is still assessing Ian’s horrific toll on lives, property, and infrastructure, we need to get serious about steps to reduce the odds of another Ian, Dorian, or worse.

The toll in lives lost and disrupted, people displaced, property destroyed, should alone be enough to spur action, but there are other ramifications as well.

Floridians face enormous cleanup and recovery costs, including repair of the power grid, rebuilding of bridges and other damaged infrastructure, and a huge impact to Florida’s already shaky insurance market. All of these costs are ultimately passed on to the public in the form of higher taxes and skyrocketing insurance rates—not just for us, but for our children and grandchildren.

If anyone, at this point, thinks that burying their head in the sand and refusing to address the underlying reasons that Ian was able to wreak such havoc is an option, they are being irresponsible and reckless, which are the opposite of being conservative.

When faced with a similar daunting climate problem, the erosion of earth’s protective ozone layer, President Ronald Reagan faced it head on. He listened to the experts and pushed through an international treaty that phased out the chemicals suspected of causing the problem.

Today, our ozone layer is healing because of Reagan’s leadership and foresight.

We need that same kind of leadership today. We need to do all we can to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are warming our atmosphere and our oceans—something conservative leaders like Reagan and his pal Margaret Thatcher were calling for 30 years ago.

For decades, we have largely failed to heed their warning, choosing instead to run away from the challenge, and allowing it to become politicized. As the Bible notes: “A man reaps what he sows.”

In all likelihood, Ian is indeed the new normal. For now. But it is not too late to take steps to make it less normal over time, or to ensure that something even worse doesn’t become the new normal.

There is nothing conservative about burying one’s head in the sand when it comes to climate stewardship—especially along Florida’s scoured Gulf Coast, where many communities are now digging out of it.

Embracing the Energy Market in 2021

Embracing the Energy Market in 2021

by | May 5, 2021 | Climate Impact

As conservatives, we firmly believe in capitalism and the free market. The mantra “follow the market” instinctively makes sense to us. However, to do that, we must understand and accept what the market is telling us.

The energy market has always changed over time. When our country was founded, the primary energy source used was wood. Water mills also played a role for a while. Then the use of coal began to dominate starting in the late 19th century. Oil has played a big role as well, but mostly in the transportation sector.

The widespread use of electricity changed the energy picture dramatically. Instead of being burned in homes, coal was used to fuel power plants. Midway through the twentieth century, nuclear power emerged as another option for generating electricity.

Over the past two decades, natural gas gradually gained the upper hand over coal and nuclear as the primary fuel stock for electric power plants. Gas burns cleaner and has logistical advantages over coal, while nuclear has been hampered by cost and safety concerns.

Today, advances in solar and wind energy, along with similar advances in energy storage technology have vaulted those energy options over those more traditional sources in both cost and reliability.

Part of the reason this is happening is that coal and gas fired power plants have become more expensive to operate and maintain as they age. This is a big deal, because 88% of our nation’s coal-fired power plants, which have a 40-year life expectancy, were built between 1950 and 1990. The average age of our nation’s natural gas plants is 22 years old—and they have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. This means that the vast majority of these plants becoming uneconomical and the cost of electricity generated from coal and gas will continue to rise.

In fact, electricity generated from some coal plants is rapidly approaching $80 per megawatt hour (MWh). Gas generated electricity is headed in the same direction, as it now costs between $45 and $60 per MWh.

Meanwhile, new solar projects that include storage for nighttime generation are selling electricity for as low as $14 per MWh! Just ten short years ago that same solar power was selling for over $300 per MWh. Wind energy is priced similarly to solar.

Also notable, is the fact that purchase agreements for power from solar+storage facilities typically run for 20 years, which means that today’s low solar prices will be locked in for the next two decades.

Two decades of guaranteed bargain basement electricity prices sounds pretty good, does it not? A lot of utilities think so, which is why new solar projects are popping up all across the country.

As we consider this dramatic change in the energy market, it is worth noting that there is no red or blue, left or right, energy source. Energy is energy. If the market now favors solar and wind generated power, then we conservatives should embrace the market just as readily as we did when the market favored other forms of energy.

And, there is ample reason to believe that solar and wind could easily dominate the energy market for the next century. Keep in mind that all of the cost is upfront, the fuel is free. This contrasts greatly with coal and natural gas, where the fuel costs play a major role in the overall price.

Just like with the price of gasoline, the price of natural gas can be affected by everything from pipeline disruptions, to increasing fuel demand across the world, to foreign conflicts. If your electricity is generated from gas-fired power plants, its price can suddenly soar from any of these reasons with no warning at all—and creating a big hole in your wallet.

So, what does a changing energy market mean to us? Now that the energy market is favoring cleaner forms of energy, it means that simply by leaning into the market, we can fight climate change and lower electricity bills at the same time. There has never been a more opportune time to fight climate change, than right now.

Now is the time for we conservatives to get in the game and work to advance real climate solutions, solutions that not only help safeguard our life-sustaining atmosphere, but economic health as well.

Florida: Ground Zero for Climate Change

Florida: Ground Zero for Climate Change

by | Dec 23, 2019 | Florida

Florida: Ground Zero for Climate Change

 
Nowhere on earth is immune from the effects of climate change, but some places are particularly vulnerable to those impacts. Florida, which is already under duress from climate-related problems, is ground zero. The sunshine state faces severe disruption and massive costs unless we get serious about safeguarding our life-sustaining atmosphere.
 

The Impacts

  • Climate Change impact Drinking Water

Tell your elected officials

Florida Needs Responsible Climate Stewardship!
It’s Conservative

Send a letter to U.S. Senators Rubio, Scott,
and your Congressman.
CLICK HERE
Send a letter to Gov. DeSantis,
your state Senator and your state Representative.
CLICK HERE

The Impacts

Drinking Water
Heavier rains, stronger storms, and rising sea levels present a multi-pronged assault on South Florida’s primary water source, the Biscayne Aquifer.

This aquifer is a shallow layer of highly permeable limestone that is very susceptible to contamination.

As the ocean rises, salt water is being pushed into the limestone, posing one source of contamination. Another comes as more intense flooding and rainstorms swell the water table, which risks inundating Miami-Dade’s more than 90,000 septic tanks and mainlining partially treated human waste into the aquifer.

Tourism
Florida’s attractiveness as a premier tourist destination is attributed largely to its weather and its beaches, both of which are facing dramatic changes. Increased temperatures and more rain result in more oppressively hot and humid days. An increased hurricane threat is also adversely affecting tourism. As for Florida’s world-class beaches, many on the Atlantic coast are already being inundated with mounds of foul smelling Sargassum seaweed, a problem caused by climate-related changes in the ocean and Amazon deforestation. Along the Gulf, toxic red tide is becoming more severe, killing massive amounts of fish and fouling the shoreline. A mixture of warmer ocean temperatures and increased nutrient runoff combine to create this deadly brew.

Real Estate
Climate threats to Florida’s drinking water supply and tourism industry also affect real estate values, but sea level rise, frequent flooding, and stronger hurricanes directly threaten virtually every property in the state.

The flooding threat is three pronged, with increased risk coming from more heavy rain events, stronger storm surges, and a rising ocean. The growing likelihood of monster hurricanes forming is like a continuous game of Russian roulette for Floridians.

Hurricane Dorian, which devastated much of the Bahamas with 183 mph winds, could have just as easily barreled across Florida, flattening everything in its path.

 
Agriculture
Agriculture, Florida’s second leading industry, is already reeling from several devastating blows that can be attributed to climate change. The citrus greening disease, which causes premature fruit drop and higher tree mortality, has decimated Florida citrus crops over the past decade. Both disease and the insect that spreads it are native to Asia and thrive in consistently warm year-round climates. Then, in 2017 Hurricane Irma knocked 50 to 90 percent of Florida’s citrus fruit to the ground in some areas and causing $760 million in damage. Beyond citrus, Florida temperature and precipitation patterns are increasingly likely to be unfavorable to a variety of key crops. Tomatoes and green beans, for example, are very susceptible to rising temperatures and farmers are already experiencing temperature-related crop failures.

Health
Floridians face increased health risks from climate change. There are direct threats from more oppressive heat, higher humidity, and poorer air quality. In coming decades, South Florida will likely see more than 120 days each year where the heat index exceeds 105 degrees. Such conditions increase the risk of heatstroke and heart attacks, exacerbate asthma, and worsen other lung disorders. Rising seas and flooding increases the opportunity for toxic chemicals and sewage to get into the drinking water sources and contaminate food crops. A warmer climate also contributes to the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, and Encephalitis. Then there is the increased risk of bodily harm from stronger and more frequent hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms.

 
Fisheries
Florida’s fisheries and aquaculture industry have a combined economic impact of more than $15 billion. Climate change threatens that in numerous ways. It alters coastal wetland habitats, which are critical for many species, due to sea level rise, increased water temperature, and changes in rainfall. Sea level rise alone is expected to greatly reduce Florida’s salt-marsh habitat and tidal flats. The high carbon dioxide levels driving climate change are killing the state’s vital coral reef habitat by making ocean waters too acidic. Also, the warmer water temperatures from climate change cause more prolific algae blooms in freshwater lakes, which reduces the oxygen available for fish and other life. Beyond that, an increased frequency and severity of red tide poses a huge threat to Florida’s marine fisheries. The outbreak in 2017 and 2018 killed more than 2000 tons of fish and other marine life – including hundreds of manatees and sea turtles.
 
Cost of Living
Remember the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” That certainly holds true with respect to climate change and its impacts. Today, electricity from natural gas, solar, and wind is significantly cheaper than electricity from coal. Therefore, the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions pales in comparison to the economic burden of climate change – and the enormous taxpayer cost for adaptation.

On our current path, the tax burden for Floridians will soar due to the enormous cost of protecting property and infrastructure from sea level rise and more severe storms. The projected need for seawalls alone is a budget buster. Additionally, Insurance rates will escalate more rapidly due to increased hurricane and flooding risks, and food costs are likely to rise significantly because of the impacts to agriculture.

 
Quality of Life
Florida has always been a popular place to live and visit because of the quality of life here. Ideal weather, beautiful beaches, recreation opportunities, a favorable business climate, you name it. Climate change poses an existential threat to those assets and the lifestyle of every Floridian.

Whether it is oppressive heat, stronger storms, or the impacts of climate change to drinking water supplies, tourism, real estate values, and agriculture, the lives and livelihoods of those who live here will change for the worse if climate change continues to worsen.

How you can help

Heading off the worst effects of climate change requires smart and effective new policies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, the main cause of the problem. Developing these policy solutions – at both the state and federal level – is too important to cede entirely to the political left.

If our conservative lawmakers are not fully engaged in designing those policies, we will end up with whacky plans like the Green New Deal. Instead, we need targeted solutions that can win broad bi-partisan support.

Please click on the TAKE ACTION links above to send your elected officials a quick note urging them to support policies to advance clean energy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution. One link is for your congressional representative and senators, and the other is for the governor and your state lawmakers.