What Could Conservative Climate Action Look Like?

The American Conservation Coalition (ACC) is a millennial and Gen-Z led environmental advocacy group that hopes to “change the narrative” around the climate policy discussion by encouraging Republican leaders to craft and support legislation that proactively engages in climate solutions.

ACC’s American Climate Contract, launched in April 2020, was created to articulate a framework for climate legislation that can be grounded in conservative principles while garnering bipartisan support.

“The American Climate Contract represents an approach to climate change that is pragmatic, effective, and results-oriented,” says Quill Robinson, ACC’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “Our hope is that we can shift the partisan nature of the climate conversation to focus on solutions, because that’s what young people want.”

The American Climate Contract consists of four pillars: 21st Century Infrastructure, Energy Innovation, Natural Solutions, and a Global Approach. On July 1, Robinson discussed the Contract, along with relevant legislation, with four Republican members of the House of Representatives: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), John Curtis (R-Utah), and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.).

 

21st Century Infrastructure

The American Climate Contract supports infrastructure modernization as a means to both shrink the national carbon footprint and provide Americans with well-paying jobs. To underscore these points, Rep. McMorris Rodgers discussed hydropower dams, “cheap, renewable, reliable” energy sources that meet 70 percent of the electricity needs of Washington state and do not emit greenhouse gases. Despite their carbon benefits, the permitting process for hydropower dams takes 10 years on average, compared to 18 months for natural gas facilities. McMorris Rodgers said her recently introduced Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act would streamline the hydropower permitting process and support innovation in hydropower technology. She noted the bill builds off the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, and provisions from the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act of 2017.¹ Both expedite permitting for dam technology, and the latter pays particular attention to fish migration. McMorris Rogers explained, “We’re proving through ingenuity and research that ... dams and fish can coexist, that there is new technology that lets fish go over the dams at very high rates—this is a great part of the solution in the Pacific Northwest.”

 

Natural Solutions

Rep. Westerman, a proud forester, discussed nature-based climate solutions within the context of the Trillion Trees Act, which he says is intended to “plant more trees, grow more wood, and store more carbon.” Westerman noted that trees naturally capture and store carbon dioxide, and that carbon is also sequestered in wood products. The Trillion Trees Act would encourage sustainable forest management, finance reforestation and urban forestry projects, and promote innovations in wood-based building technology, such as cross laminated timber. CLT stores carbon, is less carbon-intensive to produce and transport than steel or concrete, and is strong and versatile enough to be used in large projects such as skyscrapers. Westerman noted that Walmart recently announced that its new Arkansas headquarters, which will hold up to 15,000 people, will be constructed with Arkansas-sourced CLT.

McMorris Rodgers also highlighted CLT manufacturing as a nature-based climate solution in her state: “Eastern Washington just opened two CLT plants—it’s the building material of the future ... A new building material being developed and manufactured in eastern Washington, using forest materials, is a win-win.”

 

Energy Innovation

All members emphatically supported energy innovation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide more options to American consumers, and advance American global technological leadership. Rep. Reed discussed the Energy Sector Innovation Credit Act, which would provide energy production tax credits as well as investment tax credits to innovative energy companies. He further noted that the Act would reduce tax liabilities for emerging energy technologies, easing the transition from research and development to commercialization. Reed stated that it is important that policies be “tech-neutral,” saying: “We should not be picking winners and losers out of D.C.—the best tech should get the boost from that tax code, and let's get these new technologies to the marketplace as fast as possible, so it’s available in the U.S. and around the world.”

 

Global Approach

While all members agreed developing and exporting low-carbon technology would benefit the American economy and reduce global emissions, Rep. Curtis emphasized that creating global partnerships is a key part of climate solutions. Curtis added, “We need to engage global partners because we need their help ... If we can’t get them to join us, we can’t be successful.”

 

The Need for Action

The Representatives also discussed shifting attitudes from Republican legislators and their constituents towards climate action, and the need for bipartisan cooperation to find climate policy solutions. For Rep. Westerman, conservatives belong in the climate policy discussion, “A conservative is one who believes in unchosen obligations, to our past, and to the future. We should be doing everything we could to leave this planet in a better place than we found it.”

It is a point underscored by Rep. Reed, “We’ve got to stop being the party of no. We’re quick to say what we don’t want to do, but we’re not so quick to come up with things, so it’s imperative that we figure this out and show leadership on this issue.”

 

Read more about the American Climate Contract here.

Watch the July 1 roundtables with Rep. McMorris Rodgers here and Reps. Westerman, Curtis, and Reed here.

 

 

Author: Amber Todoroff