This Sunday, more than 300,000 people descended on Times Square to bring awareness to the pressing threat of climate change. This gathering was the largest climate demonstration in history.
Protesters flooded Manhattan to draw attention to the issue ahead of the United Nations Climate Summit. The march was endorsed by more than 1,100 organizations including nonprofits, places of worship, politicians and local businesses. The march included people of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds. Bert Garskof, an 81-year-old man who attended the march, explained, "We’re going to lose our planet in the next generation if things continue this way."
The ability of hundreds of thousands of people to assemble together is thrilling and inspiring and cemented the green movement as a legitimate civil rights movement. The slogan attached to this march was, "To change everything, we need everyone." Unfortunately, some groups chose to exclude themselves from participation in this historic event. Specifically, many conservative lawmakers seem unwilling to touch the issue of climate change with a 10-foot pole.
Individual cities, companies and organizations can agree to start recycling in their offices and acquire energy efficient appliances. However, our local, state and federal governments bear a significant amount of responsibility for combating climate change.
The president and Senate Democrats have supported a nationwide effort to reduce carbon emissions by gradually phasing out coal power plants. Republicans in Congress, who are projected to maintain control of the House of Representatives after the November elections, have completely ignored this critical issue.
Pointing out the failure of conservatives to respond meaningfully to the climate issue is not intended to diminish the efforts of the protesters. March organizers kept their message broad and accommodating to all groups involved. What the march accomplished was to strengthen the resolve of Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning entities such as environmental organizations, labor unions and feminist groups.
The good news is that Democrats can gain significant progress on the city, county or state level, where they are more likely to reduce our nation’s carbon footprint. Some of the most significant achievements at the local level have occurred in the areas of public transportation and the renovation of government buildings. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has already put forth a plan to reduce NYC’s carbon emissions by 80 percent and has called this action "a moral imperative." This kind of ambitious leadership is sorely needed and long overdue.
Cities can also partner with universities to help determine which local short term actions will have the greatest effects on carbon emissions. UF has already begun this effort by studying climate change’s effects on Florida. Researchers throughout the southeast U.S. collaborated to identify water supply management and adaptation to rising sea levels as top priorities. Jim Jones, a UF professor in the agricultural and biological engineering department, said, "This type of thing needs to be packaged for regional and local use because that is where decisions are made."
The national climate movement will not move forward without serious input from conservatives on Capitol Hill. The debate on whether climate change exists is already settled. The discussion on this issue should focus on how much of a role government should have in implementing carbon restrictions.
If conservatives will not engage the issue of climate change, Democrats will simply have to wait for a demographic shift in red rural areas or hope that Republicans acquiesce so a national climate agenda can progress. However, we cannot afford to wait; climate change is a problem that demands bold and immediate action.
If conservatives do eventually embrace the science of climate change, they should be welcomed into the environmental movement with open arms. We all have a responsibility to care for planet Earth because it is really all we have.
Harold Joseph is a UF political science junior. His columns appear on Fridays.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 9/26/2014]
