The facts of the matter are: We cannot address climate change or solve other environmental problems without the buy-in and leadership of conservative America.
Jannik Solner/New York Times
By Benji Bakker | For The New York Times
| May 2, 2024, 12:00 PM
Conservatives were once America's environmental champions. Not long ago, Republican presidents enacted the Clean Air and Water Act, established the Environmental Protection Agency, expanded the National Park System, and even published the nation's most authoritative report on climate change, the National Climate Change Act. Evaluation has begun.
But times have changed.
Many of today's Republican leaders stoke fear and anger by mocking the most divisive climate change activists, while insisting that the solutions to all environmental problems are fundamental. Otherwise, Republicans often remain on the sidelines and disengage from the issue altogether.
Instead of continuing the environmental legacy they were once known for, they have ceded the fight against climate change to the Democrats, putting themselves on the wrong side of history. Not a single Republican voted for the Anti-Inflation Act in 2022. The bill funnels hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding to both red and blue states for climate mitigation and resiliency projects. And it cost them: A recent research paper from the University of Colorado Boulder found that opinions on climate change were one of the strongest predictors of independents' voting in 2020, and perhaps In his favor, it gave President Biden enough of an edge to swing the election in his favor. In other words, Donald Trump's climate change denial probably cost him the White House.
Democrats have also alienated voters with their calls for an immediate transition away from fossil fuels and the top-down, one-size-fits-all approach of the Green New Deal. For someone like me who grew up surrounded by farmland, the Democratic Party's message on climate change felt elitist, condescending, and out of touch with much of America's needs. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order banning the sale of new gas-powered cars within 15 years, effectively forcing state residents to buy electric cars, and Biden told coal workers to “Learn how to code.” ” If you suggest something like that, it may seem as if that is the case. People's everyday realities are completely ignored.
The facts of the matter are: We cannot address climate change or solve other environmental problems without the buy-in and leadership of conservative America. And from sustainable agriculture to nuclear energy to domestic adoption of clean energy production, there are clear opportunities for climate action that conservatives can support without sacrificing their core values.
In visiting communities from the oil fields of Texas to the South Side of Chicago to the ranches of Wyoming, I have seen how it is possible to bridge the gap. Conservatives may have distanced themselves from this issue over the past few decades, but voters often tell me they are ready to return to the discussion. After all, as farmers, ranchers, foresters, or people who enjoy hunting and fishing, many conservatives have a stake in the health of the environment.
What they crave are solutions that work for them.
I recently met with coal workers in Orangeville, Utah, who are looking for new ways to use coal instead of burning it. This small community nestled in one of Utah's beautiful mountain ranges expressed true pride in exploring options to improve local air quality and the global climate. People also knew their example could help other coal-dependent communities facing the same economic hardships. Showing voters an example like this is much more effective than telling them to “learn to code.”
Liberals often point to the Republican Party's ties to the fossil fuel industry as hindering the transition to climate action, but the industry has a history of blocking climate policy and supporting many Republicans. True, the situation is a little more complicated than that. Conservative politicians tell me they just don't want to take oil and gas jobs away from their constituents. But now that many fossil fuel companies are taking action on climate change faster than Republicans, it's clear there may be a way to reduce emissions and preserve jobs.
I hope the party can do more to lead on these issues. Over the past seven years, I've met with more than 100 Republican members of Congress trying to fight climate change. While many still refrain from speaking out loud (for fear of antagonizing their own constituencies), some are starting to speak out publicly. The Conservative Party Climate Caucus is now one of the largest groups in the House of Commons, with nearly 100 members. Republicans also helped pass the Growing Climate Solutions Act, a 2021 law that incentivizes farmers, ranchers, and foresters to reduce their emissions with tax credits through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As a member of Generation Z, I believe it's time for my generation to come together on climate action to bring both sides to the table and demand the same from our leaders. Liberals must stop vilifying and abandoning the key communities needed to solve the problem, and conservatives must stop denying the problem and take ownership of climate solutions. It won't. If Republicans want to expand their coalition, they need to appeal to younger voters with a more realistic message.
This environmental movement will look a little different than what the Democratic Party has built. We strongly believe that fossil fuels will be part of the transition to cleaner energy sources for years to come. Our movement therefore aims to improve the environmental impact of all energy sources, not just wind and solar. It will also focus on ecosystem restoration and other conservation measures that reduce emissions. And we call on policymakers to prioritize enabling reform, reducing government overreach, and making it easier to build clean energy projects in America faster.
We will share the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation equally across political parties. But unless conservatives join this conversation, many of the ideas, needs, and contributions of this country will be missing from the conversation.
Benji Bakker is the founder and executive chairman of the American Conservation Union and author of The Conservative Environmentalist. This article was originally published in The New York Times.
