While Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico are still recovering after being hit by catastrophic hurricanes, I want to take the opportunity to draw a link between these natural disasters and the increasing impact of climate change on the United States. Some people may be under the impression that Harvey, Irma, and Maria are par for the course during hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico. They are not. In fact, this is the first time in modern history that two category four hurricanes have ever hit the US coastline, and Puerto Rican officials are calling Maria the most destructive storm to ever hit the territory.
Hurricane Harvey has poured over fifty inches of rain on East Texas, setting a record for the most rainfall from a single storm in the continental United States. With law enforcement, emergency systems, and citizens unprepared for the mass flooding overwhelmed, we saw the devastating impact of this storm. The number of deaths continues to rise, while tens of thousands are have been left with major damage to their homes.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Irma has left the Caribbean utterly trashed. The islands with the least amount of damage still will need to rebuild some 60% of their infrastructure, while other islands like Barbuda are left “barely habitable”, with 95% of the infrastructure taking damage. The storm, once it reached Miami, Florida, was twice the size of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew, the deadliest storm to ever hit the state. And then, category five Hurricane Maria rammed through still-recovering Puerto Rico, literally ripping roofs off houses and taking out electricity from the entire island. The governor says it will take six months for them to recover the electricity alone.
While it is vital to fund and supply the recovery efforts in these areas, it is also absolutely imperative that we realize and address the factor that is exacerbating these extreme weather events: climate change.
Here’s how it works. With our climate warming significantly, our ocean levels are rising, and our atmosphere is heating. This creates a warmer, wetter world, and the result (among other things) is stronger storms. Warmer seas evaporate faster and warmer air can hold more water vapor, which releases energy when it condenses inside a weather system, thus increasing the strength of the storm. Rising sea levels created by warmer oceans also exacerbates flooding, especially in coastal areas like Miami and Palm Beach.
That’s why Congressman Carlos Curbelo, a Republican Representative of the 26th district of Florida, created the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the House of Representatives. Last month, during a conference call I listened in on, Rep. Curbelo explained that, regardless of his party affiliation, climate change was threatening the lives and livelihoods of his constituents, and he’d needed to do something about it. The Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus–nicknamed the “Noah’s Ark Caucus,” because no Congressmen can join without bringing a person from the opposite party with them–has grown to include twenty-six Democrats and twenty-six Republicans (three from Pennsylvania). Joining the caucus comes with no obligations for the Representatives to vote a certain way. It exists solely to provide its members with vital information from scientific experts regarding the threat of climate change.
While several PA Congressmen have accepted that climate solutions are imperative to learn about, our Centre County’s Representative Glenn Thompson, has not. I have visited his D.C. and Bellefonte offices several times over the past year, and the staffers I met with have told me that the Congressman is still “unsure” about the science behind climate change. If Rep. Thompson is still iffy about the damage a warming planet can do, I suggest he consult the scientists working at some of our wonderful government-funded organizations, such as NASA and the EPA. Or better yet, take a look at the devastation our southern neighbors are experiencing as I write this. As federal legislators, our Congressmen are responsible for the well-being of our entire country, not just their districts, and they should keep this in mind as storms like these continue to inevitably increase in frequency and intensity. But even as we Pennsylvanians aren’t experiencing hurricane damage, you can bet that climate change is threatening us in several ways.
Rep. Glenn Thompson is a member of the House’s Natural Resources Committee, the Agriculture Committee, and the Nutrition Committee, and I personally would be concerned if he was not interested in hearing what these threats could be. The absolute best way for Representatives to learn more about climate change is through the House Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, and I strongly urge Rep. Thompson to join. If you agree, you can send him a strong message by calling his D.C. office at (202) 225-5121, or his Bellefonte office at (814) 353-0215. As Pennsylvanians, I believe we can overcome climate change… But only if we all keep our eyes open.
Hi Isabella,
I sincerely appreciate your passion for climate change, which translates well from your writing. Also, I agree that it is important to acknowledge that climate change has undeniably contributed to the devastating hurricane season, regardless if this year is a statistical outlier. However, the title seemed somewhat unjustified in your frustration with Congress. What type of immediate emission reform would you have expected to see from Congress? Climate change is undoubtedly a global issue; the US accounts for only 17 percent of emissions worldwide. This is a lot for a single country but not enough to hold Congress primarily in contempt for global climate change. Despite this disagreement, I loved the pragmatic, incremental approach to reform with the focus on Pennsylvania representatives. Setting and achieving realistic goals is often overlooked by young, idealistic advocates.
Isabella,
It is imperative that our politicians not only understand that climate change occurs, but the sever affects it has on the various facets of our country. While we, as Pennsylvanian’s, are not directly affected by these storms, the physical damages, we must also consider the economic effects this will have on us. Texas is the main producer of U.S. oil. And while oil production and consumption is the considered the main reason for human-induced climate change, it is also a huge market that provides to the entire country. Poor production of oil in Texas due to hurricanes, means less oil being refined in the U.S. meaning less work availability for employees in this huge market, creating a hit to the economy. Perhaps more noticeable is because there is less oil, there is a higher demand for it, driving up gas prices…in Pennsylvania. Climate change has such far reaching affects in America, every politician needs to make it a priority.
Hi Isabella,
Your post really addresses an important issue. The issue of climate change has not be seriously considered by many governments. Environmental issue is often scarified for economic development, since many people did not feel immediate threats. Thank you for providing a way to really take an action on the issue. I believe climate change is related to human behavior. And so I believe if we really take into action seriously, we can overcome this.