What Is Rural America Doing To Mitigate Climate Change

President Donald Trump has the environmental community understandably concerned. He and members of his Chiffonier have questioned the established science of climatic change, and his option to head the Environmental Protection Agency, former Oklahoma Attorney Full general Scott Pruitt, has sued the EPA many times and regularly sided with the fossil fuel industry.

Fifty-fifty if the Trump administration withdraws from all international climate negotiations and reduces the EPA to blank bones, the effects of climate change are happening and will proceed to build.

In response to real threats and public demand, cities across the United States and around the world are taking activeness to address climate change. We might remember this is happening just in large, coastal cities that are threatened by sea-level rising or hurricanes, like Amsterdam or New York.

Enquiry shows, however, that even in the fly-over red states of the U.S. Peachy Plains, local leaders in pocket-size- to medium-size communities are already grappling with the effect. Although their actions are not always couched in terms of addressing climate change, their strategies can provide insights into how to make progress on climate policy nether a Trump administration.

'Deliberate framing'

My colleagues and I did a survey of over 200 local governments in 11 states of the Great Plains region to acquire virtually steps they're taking to mitigate the effects of climate change and to adapt to them. Nosotros found local officials in red states responsible for public health, soil conservation, parks and natural resources management, besides equally canton commissioners and mayors, are concerned nigh climate change, and many feel a responsibility to take action in the absence of national policy.

In terms of framing, using wind energy is a way to improve local air quality and save money on energy, while also reducing emissions from fossil fuels. paytonc/flickr, CC By-SA

But because information technology is such a complex and polarizing topic, they ofttimes face public incertitude or outrage toward the issue. So while these local officials have been addressing climatic change in their communities over the past decade, many of these policy activities are specifically not framed that way. As 1 respondent to our survey said:

"It is my personal and professional opinion that the conservation community is on rails with addressing the upshot of climate change but is style off runway in assigning a cause. The public understands the value of make clean water and make clean air. If the need to improve our water quality and air quality was emphasized, most would agree. Who is going to say dirty water and muddied air is not a problem? By making the statement 'climate alter and humans are the cause' significant free energy is wasted trying to bear witness this. It is also something the public has a hard time sinking their teeth into."

In society to accost the vulnerabilities facing their communities, many local officials are reframing climate change to fit within existing priorities and budget items. In a survey of mayors, we asked: "In your city's policy and planning activities (for energy, conservation, natural resource management, state employ, or emergency planning, etc.) how is climate change framed?" The following quotes requite a sense of their strategies.

"In terms of economic benefit & resource protection. This framing was deliberate to garner back up from residents who did not agree with climatic change."

"We frame the initiative equally: energy savings (=$ savings), as smart growth/good planning, and as common sense natural resource management. Climate change is only explicitly referenced in our Climate Protection Plan adopted in 2009. About initiatives fall under the "sustainability" umbrella term."

"We mask it with sustainability, we phone call it P3 (People, Planet, Prosperity)"

"The initial interest in climate change came about as a result of business concern virtually the potential for poor air quality affecting economic development in the Metropolis. Air quality and climate change were framed as being extremely related issues."

"Climate change is framed as one of several benefits of conservation measures. Other benefits of conservation, recycling, walking, etc. include it's 'good for the earth' (regardless of climate modify), healthful, economical, etc."

The results show that energy, economic benefits, common sense and sustainability are frames that are providing opportunities for local leaders to address climate modify without getting stuck in the political quagmire. This strategy is being used across the Great Plains states, which include some of the most climate-skeptical areas of the country.

Local needs and values

Every region of the U.S. will demand to address applied questions of how states and local communities can reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Under the Trump assistants, it is likely any progress on U.S. climate policy will go on at these subnational levels. That's why a multifariousness of experts argue that nosotros should encourage the types of pragmatic strategies now being employed by local leaders in crimson states.

In the Smashing Plains in particular, local officials are facing severe impacts from higher temperatures, which will place greater demands on h2o and free energy.

Capturing marsh gas gases from landfill can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and be a local source of fuel for power. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, CC Past-NC

In our research nosotros found local leaders focus on regional and local problems such equally drought, free energy and flooding. These are bug that are tied to climate alter, simply are already a priority on the local level. And the sought-for improvements, such as energy savings, wellness benefit and flood direction, fit well with local needs and values.

For instance, Fargo, N Dakota mitigates some of its greenhouse gas emissions and created a new source of city revenue by capturing the methane from its landfill facility and selling that gas to the electricity visitor. The city trash is now providing renewable energy for local residents and an industrial facility.

Perhaps the question facing usa is: Should we reframe climate alter and other environmental issues to fit the Trump administration's priorities with a strong focus on practical solution ideas? For example, Trump has stated that infrastructure projects will be a loftier priority. That could easily translate into fixing the drinking h2o crisis experienced by Flintstone, Michigan and many other cities where it is likely to happen; Trump has besides highlighted mass transit, which could help reduce air pollution and carbon emissions.

With an administration eager to expand fossil fuel development and consumption, the outlook for federal activeness on reducing climate-altering greenhouse gases is dire. Given that, reframing climatic change to address cobenefit issues seems a logical strategy, and we tin can expect for local regime leaders in cherry states to show the way.