Guest Viewpoint: GOP takes critical step on climate

Republican Rep. Chris Gibson, of New York’s 19th district (Hudson Valley), has authored a resolution calling Congress to act on the climate. Bravo to him and 10 Republican co-sponsors, including Richard Hanna, of NY-22, for this crucial step, as we are already feeling the effects of climate change here in New York, and are predicted to suffer more if we continue as usual.

Gibson’s resolution seems part of a larger culture shift:

The pope’s recent call for action (in his June encyclical and this week’s address to Congress) is focusing much attention and constituent pressure on the issue. Significantly, most major oil companies and several utilities are now also voicing concern about climate change on their websites.

For a long time, Republicans argued that climate action would hurt the economy. Indeed, Gibson’s resolution emphasizes the critical importance of protecting both the economy and the climate.

Happily, recent studies are showing that climate action is the smart way to go economically. An August study by Citigroup reports that tackling climate change is much cheaper than doing nothing. A 2014 study found additional benefits to climate solutions: a carbon price with all revenue returned to households could lower carbon emissions by 50 percent over 20 years while adding 2.8 million jobs to the economy.

There’s growing support from multiple sides for carbon pricing like this — from mainstream economists and many major U.S. businesses. Even most oil companies now have statements on their websites in favor of carbon pricing. Why? Whatever your stance on climate, carbon pricing is smart for business: cheaper than the status quo regulations, and offering predictable pricing. Republicans tend to favor carbon pricing for these reasons, though only if it is revenue-neutral: If Congress keeps none of the revenue to grow government, but instead returns it to the public in one way or another, conservatives can get behind such a tax.

Perhaps most significantly, there seems to be a shift in the discussion of conservative values. Gibson’s colleagues (and other groups like RepublicEn) are asserting that it’s a fundamental conservative value to be a responsible steward of natural resources.

“If conservation isn’t conservative, then words have no meaning at all,” Gibson said recently. “Part of being conservative is judicious conservation of resources, both man-made and natural.”

This feeling may be more widely shared than one might think: a recent poll (sponsored by The New York Times, Stanford University and the organization Resources for the Future) showed that 48 percent of conservative voters would favor a candidate who took action on climate. According to another study, in our own district, an estimated 76 percent of voters would favor carbon regulation.

All this in mind, I heartily encourage our own representative, Tom Reed, to join his colleagues in their resolution to act on climate. Given the stakes, the solutions on the table and the growing support from conservative constituents, I believe Rep. Reed could feel proud to join this charge.

And this is the time for it. The U.S. has the opportunity — the responsibility — to step forward with solutions at the U.N. summit in Paris in December. There are ways to price carbon which would encourage other countries, like China and India, to do the same. If we lead, others will follow. This will be necessary to lower emissions fast enough to preserve the quality of life we all require.

Miranda Phillips is a volunteer with the NY-23 Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.