Climate change remains a polarizing issue in Washington, where members of Congress engage in endless, Groundhog Day-like debates over the (settled) science, instead of taking action.
But, out beyond the Beltway, many Americans are waking up to the reality of a changing climate. Unfortunately, that’s largely because of ever-more-frequent extreme weather events, changes in growing seasons, and other impacts. Yet those impacts present an opportunity to start a dialogue — even with those who don’t necessarily believe in human-induced climate change.
The key, my colleagues and I have found, is to focus on preparedness. Quite simply, it makes good sense to prepare for — and to reduce the risk of — climate impacts. Here are a few pointers on how to get the conversation started, drawn from a new report by my group, Climate Access:
Preparation is practical. Most Americans agree that when it comes to extreme weather — regardless of what is causing it — it’s better to be safe than sorry. People not only support the idea of preparedness, they are willing to take action to protect themselves and their communities. Rather than continue to debate the scienc... Read more