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COP27

Lucas Frye: Climate Change and the 2018 Senate Elections

8/11/2018

9 Comments

 
As the last ballots are counted and the 2018 midterm elections come to an end, it is important to reflect on the many issues which candidates used to differentiate themselves and their visions of good government. Climate change and environmental policy more broadly form a policy question over which there is increasing polarization of opinion, and as such, those running for office have used such topics to propel themselves into the spotlight as well as to disparage their opponent’s views. Senate hopefuls in particular will need to address the scientific concerns of entire states, which can have highly variable weather patterns and sources of economic activity, presenting the need for a broader and more comprehensive approach to climate policy. To explore the role of climate change on this year’s senate race, let’s look at some of the states with the most competitive races and the expected climate impacts in those regions.

West Virginia
Climate risks:
  • Increased temperatures will increase the duration, frequency, and intensity of heat waves, posing a direct threat to human health.
  • Sea-level rise will contribute to river flooding along tributaries of the Ohio River and the Chesapeake Bay, posing an economic and health threat to communities in adjacent floodplains.
  • Increased intensity of precipitation events and hurricane vulnerability poses a threat to infrastructure in the event of exceeded stormwater management capacity.
  • Temperature increases, flooding, and crop timing changes may compromise agricultural productivity.

​Senator-elect: Joe Manchin III (D)

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Manchin’s positions:
  • Supports addressing energy needs by using all available resources, including fossil fuels, renewable energy, and nuclear power
  • Focuses on energy independence more than sustainable environmental practices
  • Supports maintaining WV’s status as the second-largest producer of coal in the U.S
 
Florida
Climate risks:
  • Sea level rise and storm surges threaten to inundate ports at Miami, Jacksonville, and Port Everglades, three of the largest ports in the American Southeast.
  • Increasing temperatures will produce more and higher-intensity extreme heat events, larger concentrations of airborne pollutants and allergens, and reduce crop and livestock productivity.
  • Algae blooms, water pollution, and saltwater intrusions will threaten the availability of domestic water supplies while water demand increases due to urban development and the augmented necessity of irrigated agriculture.
  • Higher hurricane vulnerability will threaten infrastructure and human life on an increasingly frequent basis.

​Senator-elect: Rick Scott (R) or Bill Nelson (D)*
Embed from Getty Images

Scott’s positions:
  • Repealed Florida’s greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program
  • Signed AFP’s No Climate Tax Pledge
  • Supports exploitation of existing energy reserves
  • Focuses on expanding tourism
  • Enacted budget cuts for Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Embed from Getty Images

Nelson’s positions:
  • Lists climate change as an issue of primary importance on Senate campaign website
  • Supports infrastructure improvements for coastline resiliency
  • Pushed for increased funding for climate science research
  • Voted for legislation to ban oil and gas activities off of Florida’s Gulf Coast

​Missouri
Climate risks:
  • Increased extreme weather events pose threats to the agricultural industry by damaging crops and interfering with normal crop growth cycle timing.
  • Damage to forest ecosystems will result in lower carbon dioxide absorption, which will reinforce a positive feedback loop for the greenhouse effect.
  • As heat wave intensity and frequency increase, so will the public health risks, especially for the increasingly urban population of Missouri that will suffer more due to heat island effects, increased humidity, and degraded air and water quality.
  • Increased rainfall and flooding will cause erosion along rivers and contribute to untreated sewage discharge as sewage-overflow systems become overwhelmed.

Senator-elect: Josh Hawley (R)
Embed from Getty Images

Hawley’s positions:
  • Fought against Waters of the United States Rule and the Clean Power Plan, claiming that they hurt the economy by raising energy prices
  • Sought to dismantle energy regulations as Missouri’s Attorney General

Texas

Climate risks:
  • Alterations in crop growth cycle timing, water loss due to increased temperature and irrigation demand, and improved ability of pests to survive the winter pose great economic threats to agricultural productivity.
  • Energy development activities fragment landscapes, hindering adaptation of native species and degrading local ecosystems.
  • Weather hazards like flood, drought, heat waves, and storms, including tornadoes, hurricanes, and winter storms are expected to worsen in frequency and intensity.

​Senator-elect: Ted Cruz (R)
Embed from Getty Images

Cruz’s positions:
  • Introduced the American Energy Renaissance Act, which would encourage energy exploration, expand liquid natural gas exports, and end the ban on crude oil exports
  • Sponsored the Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act, which would reverse Clean Power Plan regulations
  • Voted to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard, which required a minimum volume of renewable fuels to be included within transportation fuel mixtures
Nevada
Climate risks:
  • Decreased snowpack and streamflow may reduce the surface water supply and threaten tourism to the state.
  • Reduced crop yields may result due to higher temperature, accelerated ripening of crops, and increased competition for water.
  • Warming and higher incidence of drought are likely to raise the risk of wildfires, potentially displacing human populations and damaging infrastructure.
  • More prevalent extreme heat events will especially hurt the largely urban population of Nevada and may disrupt the distribution of electricity and water within cities.

​Senator-elect: Jacky Rosen (D)
Embed from Getty Images

Rosen’s positions:
  • Opposes efforts to dismantle Clean Power Plan
  • Supports reducing carbon, air, and water pollution
  • Promotes creating jobs in clean energy industries
  • 97% Lifetime Score from the League of Conservation Voters

​The intersection of climate science and politics forms an illustrative relationship, given the role of elected officials in supporting the interests of their constituencies as well as the highly region-specific consequences global change will have on the various ecosystems of the United States. Climate change will affect all Americans, but the localized impacts on different communities form the basis upon which the members of those groups will assess the relative benefits and risk of government action and corporate regulation. When these new and returning Senators enter the 116th United States Congress next year, we will have the chance to witness how exactly they will address (or ignore) the impending threats climate change represents to each of their communities.
 
*As of the time of this writing, a recount is likely to be triggered in Florida’s Senate election.
 
Region-specific climate risks were adapted from information in the 2014 National Climate Assessment (U.S. Global Change Research Program).
9 Comments
Matthew Maldonado
26/11/2018 01:12:02 am

Unlike other people I believe this is a very important subject that needs to be reviewed and assessed properly. This could be very troubling and rather than be ignored, things can change for the better and can help benefit everyone on Earth.

Reply
Carson Coleman
27/11/2018 03:21:44 pm

I think that this article is a very beneficial way to look at the delegates stand points on this topic and all topics. When people vote they should be looking at the individuals motivations on troubling issues in our society and not just the party they stand with. The side by side comparisons of these peoples ideas on climate change and what the issues are that some states are facing is a easy view on why or why not these people should be voted into office.

Reply
Meagan Rogers
1/12/2018 09:44:44 am

The article reviews the elects position on climate change, making an insightful position to both politics and to the climate, both of which are important to our society. With voting, any viewers should take into account the elects motivations and investments. This way it can be accounted more thoughtfully. Climate change in itself its a large motive for society today, as more often than not it is ignored within politics, or blamed on something with little relevance. So it is an overall refreshing article to view since the elects support the climate.

Reply
Dena Lipschitz
3/12/2018 04:24:39 pm

This article shows a great deal of the different views of the politicians on climate change. I think it's important for voters to see this because then they won't just judge the delegates on past news or information, but on how they feel about certain topics.

Reply
Mitch Macek
6/12/2018 09:49:18 am

I appreciate that the general views (and prior actions) of the varying senators are put on display in contrast to regional-specific climate information. Though not always the case, it is certainly disappointing to see how many of the Republican senators oppose measures aimed at attacking the climate change quagmire, despite the troves of information neigh-confirming the reality of the issue. After the recount, it is slightly worrying to see Rick Scott take a position in the Senate, especially considering his apparent distaste for measures against climate change. Though I have concerns, I am hopeful that things will not be as bad as they seem. Kudos to Lucas for the quality and objectivity of this blog post.

Reply
Brittany
6/12/2018 06:23:20 pm

I think this is a good topic that people who are voted into office needs to be more concerned about. I think climate change is a topic that needs more attention. I think its important for voters to see the different views on climate change by all sides. Good, informative article

Reply
Maggie Wineka
10/12/2018 11:52:00 am

Being able to see the different views of our politions on the serious subject of climate change is very interesting. As one can see, every state in America is dealing with different threats that are casued by climate change. By politions addressing the issues of each state and contributing to the solution is an amazing thing for voters and the public in general to see and undertsand. By them being open about their opinions and ideas, it will only lead to action on the problem at hand and help America as a whole on how to prevent these major issues that climate change is doing of occuring.

Reply
Sarah Costa
11/12/2018 04:20:41 pm

This article truly shows that it's the size of the checkbook that matters. All of these states are going to be drastically effected by the coming disasters associated with climate change, yet the Senators would prefer their pockets being stuffed with "big oil" money. Elected officials should have the state's people in mind, not their escape plan to their private cabins in the woods when their homes are destroyed by a hurricane as well as those millions they represent.

Reply
Spencer Smith
13/12/2018 05:39:57 pm

As someone who has worked directly with Environmental Sustainability in my career, I know the severity of the issue of global climate change. The fact that many politicians dispute scientific fact is appalling. This is an issue that should be handled with more care. It is an issue that is increasingly becoming a non partisan issue. We need more politicians who are willing to make the hard choices our country needs

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