What's so funny about drought, blight and coastal flooding?

White House hopes new climate report is a ‘game-changer’ 7

Greenpeace, which has been critical of the ACES legislation, came out with a strongly worded statement jabbing at the White House.

“The White House report on climate change is a stark confirmation of what scientists have been saying for years: unless we dramatically curb our emissions, the world will face unprecedented climate disruptions that will lead to drought, flooding, rising seas, food insecurity and mass displacement,” Greenpeace USA Climate Campaign Director Damon Moglen said in the statement. “But it begs the question: are the president and Congress taking the action necessary to avert this crisis?”

Turning up the heat

Even if President Obama himself doesn’t seize on the report to rally public support, environmentalists say Tuesday’s release will help them rally support for a bill in Congress.

“It should add motivation to solve this problem,” said David Doniger, policy director of the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “People care a lot more about the concrete changes that occur in their own state, cities, and backyards than they do about things that seem more abstract because they at a higher level or farther away.”

The report, said Tim Telleen-Lawton, a global warming advocate at Environment America, “really shows the power of acting now, acting quickly.”

Environment America has organizers working across the country, and the report gives their team members more ammunition when talking to citizens and legislators in specific regions.

“It’s a huge boost for us when we’re organizing in specific communities around the country,” said Telleen-Lawton. “The vast majority of the public realizes that something should be done about global warming, but I think people don’t realize how personal global warming is and how it will actually affect everyone.”

The lawmakers who have been most active on climate in Congress are already touting the report as evidence of the imminent need for action. “This report reinforces the science, renews our dedication to forging a national solution, and relegates the last bastions of climate denial to the dustbin of history,” said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the ACES bill. “We waited for eight years to take any action on global warming, even as the evidence mounted. Our economy, our environment, and our planet can wait no longer.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, issued a similar statement:  “The findings released today add urgency to the growing momentum in Congress for legislation that cuts global warming pollution, creates millions of clean energy jobs and whole new industries, and breaks our dependence on foreign oil.”

The scientists presenting the report also expressed hope that it will increase awareness of the current and potential impacts among those in Congress who have been unwilling to support political action on climate change.

“The observed changes are not changes to be debated,” said Thomas Karl, head of NOAA’s Climatic Data Center. “They are facts to be dealt with.”

—

Below, slides released by the U.S. Global Change Research Program:

GlobalChange.Gov—US Impacts Summary

View more OpenOffice presentations from GlobalChange.gov.

Kate Sheppard is Grist’s political reporter.

Related Stories

Advertisement
Advertisement

  1. setb Posted 12:01 pm
    17 Jun 2009

    Better than nothing-- but I hope this is just the beginning.

    Permalink

  2. Anna Haynes's avatar

    Anna Haynes Posted 4:11 pm
    17 Jun 2009

    "Relax ... it's only the end of the world!"
    "What's so funny about drought, blight and coastal flooding?"
    "Things that are funny:
        * Probably untrue, but still funny: PETA mad at Obama for killing fly
        * Protesters get goosed
        * Poo-pourri"    While I'm pretty sure this witzelsucht-afflicted Grist writer is a warm-hearted, good, wonderful person, his/her efforts need to be redirected to the "cute and inconsequential" subsections of Grist, not visible on the front page, so people who see global climate disruption as a crisis don't have our concerns trivialized.Barring that, could we have a Gristmill "home page" again, please, so we don't have to wade through the fluffy stuff?  

    Permalink

    1. nmveit Posted 7:52 am
      23 Jun 2009

      I rarely add a comment, but I felt like I needed to reply to this one.While I am not the author of this article, I think it is pretty obvious that the title "Relax......it's only the end of the world!" is aimed at those who for many many years now have been ignoring the scientific facts and mere idea of climate change.  Those that have been telling scientists and activists alike to relax......it's not a problem.....it's a natural occurrence.....blah blah blah!  The author Kate Sheppard is clearly on the side of science and facts.  So Anna Haynes, maybe instead of putting down someone who is clearly an advocate of climate change (obvious throughout the article), you could better direct your energy toward those who need to be educated in the facts and science behind global warming.  I too am very passionate about a range of environmental issues (not just global warming), however I choose to focus on the facts and science, rather than 'slinging mud' at people and the issues.  There's enough people out there that are in opposition to environmental issues that 'sling mud' at the people fighting for these causes, we don't need more of them.  The many environmental issues that exist need people that are passionate about them, like you, but that approach the issues with knowledge, facts, science, and respect.

      Permalink

      1. Anna Haynes's avatar

        Anna Haynes Posted 10:02 am
        23 Jun 2009

        The jokey-jokey tone is a consistent problem at Grist - I didn't mean to single out this one headline, or this one author.  If you're trying to wake up a slumbering populace to a civilization-threatening danger, treating it, consistently, as a joking matter, is not the way to go.  Can you imagine this tone being used regarding Pearl Harbor?  9/11?  by your doctor when informing you that you've got a life-threatening disease?  IMO it's not constructive. 

        Permalink

      2. nmveit Posted 1:03 pm
        23 Jun 2009

        Actually......it's not a jokey-jokey tone.  It's called sarcasm!  And I understand that some people get and like sarcasm, while others just don't get it or like it.  Difference of opinion, and I respect that you just don't like sarcasm.  However, my point was to shift the focus from the miniscule one-liners, titles, or headlines to the more important, larger picture.  The only part of this article that is sarcastic is the headline......the rest of the article is informative, serious, and definitely relaying the message that the global warming issue has been ignored and/or made irrelevant for far to long.  She states the facts, which is absolutely constructive!  She is most definitely NOT treating climate change as a joke!  Have you even read the rest of the article?  You are making this claim that the author is treating the issue of climate change as a joking matter strictly based on the headline.  And obviously you don't like the sarcastic headline, but that shouldn't be the deciding factor of whether an article is informative.  This article has a plethera of information, as do many of her and other Grist author's articles.  I think you are taking the headline out of context and completely missing the point of the article, as many many politicians and publicity do on a daily basis and it's ridiculous!  It's obvious that the headline was not geared toward global warming activists, but if that is what you want to keep thinking, then so be it.  I, on the other hand, choose to try and not let trivial little things get to me.  Approaching things rationally and with a level head is the most effective way to handle things, but maybe that's just me!  That's all I have to say on this ridiculous, unsubstantiated claim!

        Permalink

Add a Comment

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have an account, log in. If you don't have an account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Hello, Visitor!    Why not register?

Viewed
More
Commented
More
Advertisement