A Change in Climate?

There are a few hints that 2013 may finally bring visible movement towards direct U.S. confrontation with the climate crisis. 

The newly appointed Secretary of State, John Kerry, is expected to emphasis the issue.  The newly appointed Senator from Hawaii is known to be an articulate advocate on climate issues.  And in his New Year's Day statement after he signed the fiscal cliff bill, President Obama listed "protecting our planet from the harmful effects of climate change" as one of the priorities for the year, along with immigration, gun violence, energy and economic issues. 

Public opinion supports such an emphasis.  After the sobering storms of 2012, including those that disrupted and endangered the holidays for many, 4 out of 5 Americans polled say that climate change is a serious problem, and a majority want the federal government to address it.  Even 60% of those who don't trust scientists say they believe the world is warming.  Notably it is an issue that does not divide drastically along partisan lines.  83% of Democrats believe the climate crisis is real, but so do 70% of Republicans and 77% of Independents.

Still, the politics of Washington continues to feed extreme opposition, and the New York Times opines that the Obama administration still seems too timid given the stakes.  But unfortunately the effects of global heating are getting harder to ignore, with more tipping points expected in 2013. 

 According to Bill McKibben, the ongoing drought in the U.S. has contributed to a 45% rise in global food costs.  While the rest of the world sees the economic and health effects of the effects, the U.S. itself cannot be blind to them for much longer.