Talk hopes to clear air on climate change

SANDPOINT — The local chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby will host a public, town-hall style, “Let’s Clear the Air” event on Nov. 17 at the Sandpoint Community Hall. Presenters and panelists — including local and state officials, industry representatives, climate scientists, and conservationists — will lead a strictly non-partisan discussion about how climate change threatens our local economy, and how free-market solutions can mitigate climate risks.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Sandpoint Community Hall, 204. S. First Ave.

Panelists and presenters include Idaho state Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; Bonner County Commissioner Glen Bailey; Bob Boeh, vice president, Idaho Forest Group; Dr. Steve Ghan?, climate scientist; John Sandvig?, Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteer and member of the CCL “Conservative Caucus;” and Jennifer Syrowitz, Audubon Washington Chapter conservation manager, citizens’ climate lobby volunteer.

George Shultz — a conservative icon, free-market advocate, former Secretary of the Treasury, former Secretary of State, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby advisor — supports a market-based approach to manage the effects of a changing climate. He recently opined: ?“If the doubters are wrong, ... the consequences of climate change, while varied, will be mostly bad, some catastrophic. So why don’t we follow Reagan’s example and take out an insurance policy?”

The event’s main presenters, who will be visiting Sandpoint as part of the 12-city “Water, Wind & Fire Tour,” acknowledge that many people all across the political spectrum, including those employed in farming, agribusiness, tourism, and manufacturing, are seeking solutions to manage climate change that do not grow government or overly-burden the economy. They advocate that we craft an “insurance policy” that will manage climate risks while making the free-market freer and growing local economies. That’s a win-win-win.

To promote a spirit of bipartisanship, the event sponsors encourage attendees to “bring a date from across the aisle.” The idea is to mimic the congressional House Climate Solutions Caucus, which was established by Citizens’ Climate Lobby and requires equal participation from Republicans and Democrats. There will be door prizes for bipartisan couples.

?Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a grassroots, non-partisan advocacy group that works with members of Congress from both political parties to find and promote pragmatic policy solutions to mitigate the risks of a changing climate. Audubon Washington employs science, education, advocacy, and conservation projects to conserve natural ecosystems to build healthy communities for people, birds and other wildlife.