Republicans, It's Time to Retire Climate and Weather Comparisons | The Messenger

Republicans, It's Time to Retire Climate and Weather Comparisons

By Danielle Butcher Franz

It all started with a snowball. In 2015, then-Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) tossed a snowball on the Senate floor to theatrically challenge the prevailing notion of global warming by emphasizing the presence of snow in the nation's capital.

Since then, Republicans have made significant progress on the issue of climate change. The last eight years have been instrumental in building coalitions for market-based climate solutions. Between championing forms of clean energy to supporting farmers in climate-conscious agriculture techniques, key members of the Republican Party have pushed their colleagues to embrace a commonsense approach to protecting our environment. 

While encouraging, there are certainly hold-outs. And for them, it’s time to get with the program.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), for example, took to the House floor this last week and in an effort to dismiss climate change, pointed out that it had gotten cold outside (in late October) following record-breaking summer heat (June to August). Regrettably, the congressman's statement highlights a fundamental misunderstanding — climate and weather are not the same. 

For the sake of clarity, climate refers to the expected average pattern of weather conditions — whereas weather is subject to change, and only refers to the conditions of the day. Climate change does not negate the changing of seasons, nor does it mean that we will no longer experience colder weather. Prolonged spikes in temperature that are higher than historic temperatures during the same time of year in the same geographical location, however, do suggest a change to the region’s overall climate. 

Flimsy comparisons between climate patterns and day-to-day weather are not only unscientific, but they hurt what could be a productive climate discourse between the two major parties. What some refuse to acknowledge is that we can agree there is a problem and passionately disagree on the right solutions. Admitting that climate change is happening and humans are the driving force is not capitulation to progressivism. On the contrary, charting a conservative climate agenda will only make the conservative movement stronger and more appealing to key voting blocs. 

Rehashing third-grade science lessons on the House floor wastes everyone's time. Rather than denying that the climate is changing, conservatives must focus on demonstrating why our approach to climate and energy issues is not only better for the planet, but it’s better for the American people.

There are legitimate criticisms of the progressive climate agenda, which often appears to serve as a Trojan Horse for misguided policy, and how it can use alarmism to scare young people into performative (and often ineffective) protests and climate anxiety. That said, the rational approach to climate change doesn't involve denying the problem exists; it calls for applying common sense and sound scientific understanding.

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