In the eyes of many people, conservatism and environmentalism are incompatible ideologies. Progress against climate change has largely been associated with liberal politics, but conservatives have made significant strides.
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President Donald Trump’s continuous denial of our evolving climate, however, was the perfect opportunity for Republicans to step up to the plate. The media have fought tooth and nail to exploit conservatives as “impossible to persuade” and recently labeled the GOP as the party of “climate denial.” Although many consider Trump as the party’s leader, his past actions do not reflect the reason I began working toward conservative climate solutions, and they certainly do not represent the party’s ambition to lead the climate movement.
At a time when young people are demanding action against climate change, Republicans are leading the charge to counter the effects of rising greenhouse emissions. In early June, the American Conservation Coalition hosted its inaugural summit with hundreds of young activists with one goal in mind: solving climate change in a bipartisan and economic manner.
Contrary to the mainstream narrative, President Joe Biden and his congressional allies have been more bark than bite when it comes to fighting climate change. Detrimental energy policies that hurt our climate and lackluster leadership have robbed consumers at the gas pump, leaving their wallets hurting and Biden’s approval numbers plummeting.
On the flip side, Republicans have established the beginning of a new era as climate change becomes an increasingly important subject for many across the nation — and this is nothing new. From creating the National Park Service and the Environmental Protection Agency to passing landmark environmental legislation, Republicans have spearheaded monumental climate action that has left us with incredible progress.
Unfortunately, federal environmental regulation has become one of the most partisan topics that Washington has faced in recent times. When Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental regulations, liberals saw that as the official party stance. The narrative of the GOP being strong-armed by corporate influence from the fossil fuel industry became the portrayal of a party once known for advancing environmental initiatives.
Now Republicans have done an about-face to tackle the challenge of our evolving climate head-on. With the launch of the Conservative Climate Caucus, as well as the passage of the Energy Act of 2020 and the Great American Outdoors Act, Republicans have reversed the image of being climate-hesitant and replaced it with striving to protect our nation’s natural resources.
This type of GOP leadership is especially important as the public faces an unprecedented energy crisis and Democrats have failed to protect their constituents. Consumers are paying more for electricity, even though the service they are paying for is becoming less reliable through flawed domestic and foreign policy. One assessment found that more than half of the country is at high risk of facing energy shortages this summer, which may lead to blackouts during extreme temperatures.
While the Biden administration is blocking American energy production, Republicans are bolstering viable energy solutions that benefit the country in an effort to beat climate change. Liberals have used climate change policy as a Trojan horse to supercharge an expansive agenda that only benefits the party and not the people. But not inviting a competitive alternative into the mix disincentivizes anyone with a different approach and any possibility to unleash America’s innovation.
The days of positioning the GOP as the boogeyman to all things climate-related are over. The environmentalist movement has been overtaken by angry activists and extreme radicalism, but Republicans see right through the theatrics. America deserves an economically sound environmental policy that acts in the interests of their livelihoods and promotes the well-being of our nation. While Democrats are falling behind in their quest to fight climate change, Republicans are just getting started in their new era of introducing extraordinary energy solutions that will strengthen our country for generations to come.
Jorge Velasco (@velascoAjorge) is an executive communications intern for the American Conservation Coalition. He is a sophomore at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.
