November 13, 2024 • 29 mins
Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos is an eight-part series hosted by Peterson Toscano that uncovers the untold stories behind the rise and fall of bipartisan efforts to address climate change in the United States.
In this first episode, Peterson Toscano takes listeners back to a time when political cooperation on climate issues was possible. The episode explores the beginnings of climate politics in the 1960s, including early warnings about carbon emissions and surprising cross-party collaborations that are difficult to imagine today.
Key Themes- The origins of climate politics in the 1960s.
- Bipartisan collaboration on environmental legislation.
- Early climate activism from figures across the political spectrum..
Chelsea Henderson Chelsea hosts RepublicEn’s Eco Right Speaks podcast and has long advocated for conservative-led climate solutions. In this episode, she shares her insights into the early days of bipartisan cooperation and the conservative movement's role in addressing climate change.
Standout Quotes“We must prevent the overheating of our planet, and that will take decisive action from everyone.” – Audio clip from Margaret Thatcher.
“Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich sitting on the same couch, talking about the climate, alongside Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson—truly, a coalition that seems unimaginable today.” – Peterson Toscano.
Episode Highlights- 00:05:15 – Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 climate briefing: The earliest official recognition of climate threats.
- 00:12:45 – Richard Nixon established key environmental protections, marking bipartisan action.
- 00:18:30 – Margaret Thatcher addresses the United Nations about the risks of climate change internationally.
- 00:22:15 – 2008 We Can Solve It bipartisan climate campaign featuring Nancy Pelosi, Newt Gingrich, Rev. All Sharpton, and Rev. Pat Robertson brought together unlikely allies to tackle climate change.
Resources Mentioned:
- RepublicEN https://republicen.org/
- Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics by Chelsea Henderson https://turnerpublishing.com/products/glacial-the-inside-story-of-climate-politics?srsltid=AfmBOorxPf93ogFUAc3tAeaVDEPGipWLwlgomJa2dJl6m57-dCMcJhV_
Contact Information:
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- Website: Green Tea Party Radio
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Support Us: If you enjoy our content and want to support our work, consider becoming a patron for early access to episodes and exclusive merchandise. Visit our website for more details.
Disclaimer: Green Tea Party Radio is an independent project and does not represent the views of the Diocese of Little Rock, Catholic Climate Covenant, or any of our employers.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
>> Katie (00:05):
Hello and welcome to the Green Tea Party, where we
discuss conservative solutions to environmental problems.
My name is Katie Zakreski. Together, I'll guide you
through complex issues and provide strategies to address
them all, uh, while remaining faithful to my conservative
values. It'll be a good time, so grab your mugs and
we'll pour the tea.
(00:31):
Okay, everybody, I am super excited for today's episode.
Not that I'm normally excited for our episodes, but, um,
our Friends over at Citizens Climate Radio
are using the next couple of weeks to unveil a
big new project that they've been working on. Peterson, uh,
Toscano, as many of you know, is the producer of Citizens Climate
Radio, and he has been working on a project for
(00:52):
several months now, and it's called Hot Mess.
It features a lot of notable, uh, voices in the
climate area, in, uh, the climate sector, talking
about the history of climate change.
When things went a little bit wonky here in
America, um, climate change used to be a
bipartisan issue, but now it's not. And this podcast is in
(01:12):
a True Crime style and analyzes
the history of those changes. And you'll hear several familiar
voices on the show, um, including Chelsea Henderson, who
we've had on this show before. She's the host of Eco Rights
Speaks, uh, over with Republican. And yours
truly is on the show. So a little surprise
for you all. Sit back, relax. If you're a fan
(01:32):
of True crime, you're in for a treat. If you're a fan of
fighting climate change, then again, you're in for a treat.
So sit back, relax, get cozy, lock
your door, don't be spooked by any strange noises
in the night, and enjoy.
>> Peterson Toscano (01:48):
Welcome to Hot Mess. How Climate Consensus
Turned into Political Chaos. I'm
your host, Peterson Sentiscono.
In this six part series, we
explore elements of how the united concern
about global warming unraveled and
stalled climate change solutions.
We're especially curious about the people and
(02:10):
moments in history that have been overlooked.
Stories that have been underreported. Will
this be an exhaustion? Exhaustive history of climate
politics and the forces at play from the
1960s to the present?
>> Katie (02:23):
No.
>> Peterson Toscano (02:24):
That would require at least 600
episodes and a staff of 50
researchers. Instead, my
guests and I will reveal puzzle pieces that
will surprise you. You will learn about
Republican and Democratic climate heroes who
deserve recognition. And we
expose some of the forces behind the
(02:46):
dreadful shift from what had
consensus to address climate change to the
tragedy of missed opportunities, along with
the lies that misled countless
lawmakers and the public.
Through it all you will encounter people who saw through the
deception and kept their focus on the dangers that
(03:07):
threaten humanity and life on Earth. This is
a story of dangerous behavior by many and
the determination and resilience of a handful of
people. The story isn't over yet.
And for you listening right now, your part has yet
to be told. This special series is brought to
you by Citizens Climate Radio, a project
(03:27):
of Citizens Climate Education.
Uh, in this first
episode, we look at the very beginning
of climate politics and a period of
cooperation and consensus that may sound
like fantasy to many listening today.
In January 1977, a young
(03:47):
Congressman named Al Gore walked into the
US Capitol with a mission to educate his peers
about the greenhouse effect and push for
federal policies to combat it.
But Gore, a, uh, Democrat,
wasn't the first to raise the alarm.
And at that time, and before, it wasn't only the
(04:07):
Democrats who took the threat of global warming
seriously. In 1965,
President Lyndon B. Johnson was among
the first U.S. leaders to be briefed on the
impacts of rising carbon dioxide levels.
His Science Advisory committee issued a landmark
report warning that the burning of fossil
fuels was altering the atmosphere and could
(04:30):
lead to significant global warming.
Climate scientists were already alerting the President
to the long term threats posed by
carbon emissions, laying the groundwork
for future environmental policy.
Chelsea Henderson, host of Republic Ian's Eco Rights
Speaks podcast and author of the
(04:52):
Untold Story of Climate Politics, has created a
platform for conservatives seeking climate change
solutions. I asked Chelsea about the
early history when U.S. lawmakers first became
aware of the dangers posed by greenhouse gas
emissions.
>> Chelsea Henderson (05:11):
LBJ really embraced
the first policies that were more about
conservation, like let's make the land beautiful around us.
And so he was really worried about this, uh, briefing.
And he did what any president who was brought an
issue that they didn't fully understand and didn't know how to address
would do. He commissioned a report. And
(05:32):
that report was more broad strokes
about environmental conservation, but it had
23 page chapter on carbon dioxide
and the impacts of burning fossil fuels
and this blanket effect that was happening with the
carbon dioxide kind of making a blanket around the earth,
holding our warmer air in.
>> Peterson Toscano (05:52):
For the first time, US leadership was
formally warned about the long term dangers of
rising carbon dioxide levels
caused by burning fossil fuels.
The report highlighted the emerging science of climate
change, describing how carbon emissions
could form a heat trapping blanket around the
earth, causing global warming.
(06:15):
Yet despite these alarming findings, the immediate
policy response focused more on beautification and
conservation efforts such as cleaning up highways
and rivers, rather than tackling the more
abstract and distant threat of climate change.
Still, this early warning laid the
groundwork for future environmental policies.
(06:37):
In the early 1970s, something was in the
air. M
no, not just city smog, but also a political
will to address the causes and impacts of
pollution in the air and water.
Republican president Richard Nixon
was instrumental in advancing environmental legislation
during his presidency. In
(06:59):
1970, Nixon delivered a State of the Union address
where he declared the environment as the defining issue
of the decade. He poignantly
asked, shall we make our peace with
Nature and begin to make reparations for the
damage we have done to our air, to our land,
and to our water? This
(07:19):
pivotal moment set the stage for significant
bipartisan efforts to tackle pollution
and its effects. During
Nixon's administration, several landmark
pieces of environmental legislation were
enacted. The National Environmental Policy
act of 1970, which
required federal agencies to assess
(07:41):
the environmental impact of their actions.
The creation of the Environmental protection
agency, or EPA in 1970
to consolidate environmental responsibilities
and enforce regulations.
The Clean air Act of 1970, which
mandated the EPA to
(08:02):
establish and enforce air
quality standards. By early
1972, Nixon urged
lawmakers to work together to do even
more. On
February 8, 1972, Nixon
addressed Congress about the environment.
>> President Richard Nixon (08:21):
Each of us, all across this great land, has a
stake in maintaining and improving
environmental quality. Clean air and clean
water. The wise use of our land,
the protection of wildlife and natural beauty,
parks for all to enjoy. These are
part of the birthright of every American.
To guarantee that birthright, we must
(08:44):
act and act decisively. It
is literally now or never. During
the past three years, we have made a good
start. We have passed new laws to protect the
environment, and we immobilize the power of public
concern. But there is much yet to
be done. Eighteen of the major
environmental proposals which I put forward a year
(09:06):
ago has still not received final action by
the Congress. I repeat today
my urgent request for congressional action
on this much needed legislation.
And I am also presenting a number of new
proposals. The environmental
agenda now before the Congress includes laws
to deal with water pollution,
(09:28):
pesticide hazards, ocean
dumping, excessive noise,
careless land development and many other
environmental problems. These
problems will not stand still for
politics or for partisanship.
They demand to be met now.
By meeting them now, we can make
(09:51):
1972 the best year ever
for environmental progress.
The time has come for man
to make his peace with Nature. Let
us renew our commitment. Let us redouble
our effort. The quality of our life on
this good land is a cause
(10:11):
to unite all Americans.
>> Peterson Toscano (10:16):
President Richard Nixon signed the passage of the Marine
Mammal Protection act in 1970.
2 and the
Endangered Species act
in 1973. Both of these
laws are aimed at, ah, protecting wildlife
and their habitats. Nixon's effort laid the
foundation for modern environmental policy in the United
(10:39):
States, showcasing that environmental
protection can gain broad support
across the political spectrum.
Twelve years after President Lyndon B. Johnson became the
first U.S. president to be briefed on the dangers of
pollution from fossil fuels, another
(11:01):
leader raised the alarm.
In 1977, the newly elected
congressman arrived with a singular focus
on addressing the looming climate
crisis. Colleagues on both sides of the
aisle took the warning seriously.
>> Chelsea Henderson (11:18):
The day Al Gore walked into the US Capitol on
January. In January 1977, he
had one mission. To use his position to educate his
peers on the greenhouse effect and collaborate with them on
the federal policy to stop it from getting worse. He
failed to stoke any enthusiasm for the issue, but he
certainly was not the last to try. Over the last
45, actually 50 years,
(11:40):
senators, members of Congress, and even presidents on, um, both
sides of the aisle campaigned on fixing climate change.
But no bill ever made it to the Oval Office for signature.
>> Peterson Toscano (11:49):
Al Gore's early efforts in the late 70s
failed to immediately ignite widespread action
on climate change. While the
70s were a time of growing environmental
awareness, a different crisis pushed
the climate discussion into the background.
The oil embargo, you know, in the.
>> Chelsea Henderson (12:09):
70S, or anyone that was around during the 70s, you'll remember
the oil embargo, the oil crisis in
America. I remember being a little. And you could only get your
gas on a certain day, depending on what the last digit
of your license plate was. And so my parents had a car
that was an even number and a car that was an odd number, so we could get gas
any day. And I remember that being a big thing for them.
>> Peterson Toscano (12:30):
The oil crisis of the 1970s
reshaped America's relationship with energy
and led to a renewed focus on fossil fuel
dependence. Even so, the political will for
climate action began to stir this
time during the Reagan era, a, uh, time when
environmental regulations were being scaled back.
>> Chelsea Henderson (12:49):
Even while Reagan was trying to
deregulate a lot of our environmental
protections, um, that was kind of the hotbed
of bipartisan climate action.
>> Peterson Toscano (13:01):
Despite the rollback of environmental protections under
Reagan, the 1980s saw a rare moment
of bipartisan interest and climate
issues. Republicans and
Democrats worked together to address the
growing concern about pollution and energy
use, laying the groundwork for future climate
efforts. However, while there was
(13:23):
interest, no comprehensive climate legislation
reached the President's desk for signature.
During that time,
conservatives outside the USA also
attempted to mobilize action that would address
the Growing threats from climate change.
One significant figure was Conservative Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher, who acknowledged the dangers
(13:45):
of climate change in her famous
1989 speech at the UN General
Assembly.
>> Margaret Thatcher (13:51):
It is as, uh, menacing in its way as those more
accustomed perils with which international
diplomacy has concerned itself for
centuries. It is the prospect of
irretrievable damage to the
atmosphere, to the oceans,
to Earth itself. What we are now
doing to the world by degrading the land
(14:13):
surfaces, by polluting the waters, and
by adding greenhouse gases to the air at an
unprecedented rate. All this is
new in the experience of the Earth. It
is mankind and his activities
which are changing the environment of our planet
in damaging and dangerous ways.
(14:34):
Put in its bluntest form, um, the main
threat to our environment is more and more
people and their activities. The land they
cultivate ever more intensively, the forests
they cut down and burn, the mountainsides
they lay bare, the fossil fuels they burn,
um, the rivers and the seas they
pollute. The result is that change in
(14:57):
future is likely to be more fundamental
and more widespread than anything we have
known hitherto. The most pressing task which
faces us at the international level is to
negotiate a, uh, Framework Convention on
Climate Changed, a sort of good
conduct guide for all nations.
Fortunately, we have a model in the
(15:19):
action already taken to protect the ozone
layer. The viela Convention in
1985 and the Montreal
Protocol in 1987 established
landmarks in international law. They
aim to prevent rather than just
cure a, uh, global environmental
problem. I believe we should aim to have a
(15:41):
convention on global climate change
ready by the time the World Conference
on Environment and development meets
in 1992. That will be among the
most important conferences United nations
has ever held. Reason
is humanity's special gift.
(16:02):
It allows us to understand the structure of
the nucleus. It enables us to explore
the heavens. It helps us to conquer
disease. Now we must use our
reason to find a way in which we
could live with Nature and, uh, not
dominate Nature.
>> Peterson Toscano (16:36):
The concern grew through the 1990s and
into the 2000s. In 2008,
Al Gore's We Can Solve it initiative,
launched by the alliance for Climate Protection,
brought together some unexpected pairs
to highlight the bipartisan nature of the climate
crisis and the need for collective
(16:56):
action. One memorable ad
featured the Reverend Al Sharpton, a, uh,
liberal civil rights activist,
alongside Reverend Pat
Robertson, a conservative
televangelist.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:10):
I'm, um, on the left, and I'm usually right, and
we strongly disagree, except on one issue.
>> Margaret Thatcher (17:16):
Tell them what it is, Reverend Pat.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:17):
That would be our planet. Taking care of it is
extremely important.
>> Drew Ireley (17:22):
We all need to work together, liberals and
conservative.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:25):
So get involved. It's the right thing
to do.
>> Drew Ireley (17:29):
Now there you go again.
>> Peterson Toscano (17:30):
Uh, join us. Together we can solve the climate
crisis. Go to. We can solve it.org
the ads were designed to show that even those who
disagree on most issues can find
common ground when it comes to protecting
our planet. They aired on
national tv.
(17:51):
These well placed ads, though,
did not achieve the effect the alliance for Climate
Protection hoped to see.
>> Chelsea Henderson (17:58):
There was a series of ads,
including an ad with Newt Gingrich and Nancy
Pelosi.
>> President Richard Nixon (18:05):
We don't always see eye to eye, do we,
Newt? No, but we do agree
our country must take action to address climate change. We
need cleaner forms of energy and we need them fast.
If enough of us demand action from our leaders, we can spark
the innovation we need.
>> Peterson Toscano (18:20):
Go to.
>> President Richard Nixon (18:21):
We can. Solveit.org Together we
can do this.
>> Chelsea Henderson (18:26):
Now, Gingrich has rolled back his views from that. He
got a lot of pushback for appearing in that, uh, piece with her,
and he is now more in the climate disputer
camp. But there was a period
right around, or it was either right before Obama was elected or
right after Obama was elected when he did
have some of these unusual partners coming out. But, you know, and
(18:46):
we're kind of getting more into the present
day, the merchants of
doubt, as um, Bob Inglis likes to call
them, just continued to beat that partisan
drum.
>> Peterson Toscano (18:58):
Even so, some people in groups had reason to hope
that Congress would pass laws and society would
make the necessary changes to transform our
energy economy. Ah, uh, but I'm
getting ahead of myself.
We are here to learn about the twists and turns, the
doubts and lies, and the forces that
(19:19):
undermine the united concern about climate
change.
A man made storm began brewing back then, but
the 1990s, bipartisan cooperation began to
fall apart and a period of hostility
towards even the mention of climate
change started to take hold. How
did this happen?
(19:44):
Who is responsible? Who stood up against
it? And even amidst the most heated debate,
recognized the need to act together to address
the dangers posed by a rapidly changing
climate and the greenhouse gases that fueled
it.
Throughout this episode, you have heard commentary from Chelsea
Henderson. As the host of Republicans Eco Rights
(20:06):
Speaks podcast, she speaks with conservative
leaders who are serious about addressing the causes
of climate change. Chelsea is also the author of a
new Book, uh, the Untold Story of Climate
Politics. After we chatted about the early
history of climate change politics, I was curious
about the bipartisan divide. Even
(20:27):
when Democrats and Republicans agree that
climate change is a serious problem that needs to be
addressed, Chelsea Why do you think
climate change is an important issue for conservatives
to address? And what do conservative
bring to the table?
>> Chelsea Henderson (20:43):
When I was researching my Book Glacial the Inside Story of
Climate Politics, I was struck
with how deeply rooted the climate movement
is in these roots of
bipartisanship. And so it really takes
two sides. You don't get
durable, well thought
(21:04):
out policy when only one
side is contributing. And so when you look back
at the history, Richard Nixon was briefed on
climate change. Gerald Ford took on the
three big automakers to enact the first mandatory fuel
economy standards. And he didn't do it as an environmental
issue. He did it to conserve oil and sort of
(21:24):
stick it to OPEC because we were going to get
more miles on a tank of gas and so take that. But in
the end it had great impacts on
reducing tailpipe emissions. Um, Ronald
Reagan championed the Montreal Protocol, which
phased out the, uh, CFC
that were thinning the ozone layer.
(21:44):
George H.W. bush ran in
1988 on being the
greenhouse effect president. You, uh, just have
this rich history of conservative
lawmakers looking to be part of the
solutions. That system broke down a little bit
in the 90s and the early 2000s
and especially in the 2010, like
(22:07):
2010 to 2020 period, that decade
of disastrous disputation. You know, we're coming
back now, we're seeing conservatives come back to the table now
cautiously, there needs to be an understanding that
their role is just so critical if we're going
to truly solve this generational
crisis.
>> Peterson Toscano (22:26):
Thank you Chelsea for joining us on this journey. I, uh, look
forward to hear what you have to share in the next
episode of Hot Mess. Learn more about
Chelsea Henderson and the podcast
EcoRight speaks
by visiting
republicen.org that's
republicen.org you can hear her show
(22:48):
the Eagle Rightspeaks wherever you get podcast.
In this episode we looked at, uh, the early days of
climate awareness and moments of political unity
around addressing heat trapping greenhouse
gases. Understanding the past
helps us navigate the future. Even
as I record this, there is news of
(23:09):
yet more extreme weather,
displacing people from their homes, putting people's
lives at risk and damage that
takes billions and billions of dollars to
repair. All of this could have been avoided.
Imagine a different world if in
1965 lawmakers took this threat
seriously and had acted.
(23:30):
What world would we live in today perhaps
doesn't help to dwell on what could have been. Instead,
we need to look clearly at, ah, what has happened and
what we must do to make it
right. Thank you for joining me on
this journey. I'M Peterson Toscano and this is
Hot Mess. How Climate Consensus Turns Turned into
(23:51):
Political.
>> Katie (23:51):
Chaos Hot Mess is made possible through Citizens
Climate Education. The show has been researched by Horace
Mo, Lily Rushen and Peterson Toscano.
Editorial assistance from Flannery Winchester, Elise
Silvestri and Brett Siess. Production by Peterson
Toscano with assistance from Elise Silvestri. Music
for this episode comes from Epidemic Sound and Elise Silvestri.
>> Peterson Toscano (24:11):
Learn how you can be part of a bipartisan effort to pass
meaningful legislation that addresses fossil fuel
pollution. Visit
cclusa.org
action
that's
cclusa.org
action if you like this program and want to support
the work we do, share this episode with a friend
(24:32):
and on, uh, social media. You can also give a tax
deductible donation by visiting
citizensclimate education.org
Together we will make a difference.
>> Katie (24:54):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Green Tea Party
Radio where we gave you a little sneak peek of the first episode
of Hot Mess by the Friends over at Citizen
Climate Radio in Peterson Toscano. Be sure to
tune in next week to hear the next episode of Hot Mess
for you, our listener. Email us with your thoughts. Our
email is info
reenteapartyradio.com thank you for
(25:15):
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(25:37):
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any of our employers. We're just a bunch of young people who are
building a movement because we want the world to know that conservatives, and
particularly young ones like us, have important things to say
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(25:58):
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reenteapartyradio.com thanks for
listening.
>> Drew Ireley (26:15):
Hi, I'm Drew Irely. I am the Conservative Outreach
Director for Citizens Climate Lobby. My path
to being a conservative concerned, uh, about climate
action was definitely a long one.
Growing up, it was a very rural area. You had to be into
the outdoors or you were going to be bored out of your mind. So I grew up
doing a lot of hunting, fishing. I was
(26:36):
only the second person on my mom's side to graduate
high School. I uh, graduated 6-6-05 at like
7:30 at night and by 8:00 the next
morning I was on my way to basic training. On
my 17th birthday I had deployments
to Iraq, Afghanistan, rotations through Cuba. It
was during this time that I really became
(26:57):
concerned with energy infrastructure. But I wasn't ready
to take action yet. It took the birth of a
10 pound baby girl with cheeks so big she couldn't
open her eyes to really get me to open
mine. My life just went from the next 50 years
to the next 75. What if she's
the veteran that follows in my footsteps and
she's in the VA suffering from exposure?
(27:20):
You know, what if she's on a fossil fuel route and
subject to an ied? How will I be able to look at her in
the eye and say, I knew that this
could be an issue that you would have to face and I chose to do nothing about
it? It's why we fight wars. We fight them
now so our kids don't have to.
I am fighting climate change now so my
(27:41):
daughters don't have to. A lot of people, you know, they say
conservatives don't care about climate change and
it's not true at all. We just want
sensible policies that don't destroy the economy.
In trying to find a solution, we have that here at Citizens
Climate Lobby.
(28:03):
There are a lot of leadership opportunities for
conservatives, especially in red states
and districts with Republican Congressional
offices. Conservatives can also join
CCL's Conservative caucus. It's a national
group of Republicans and other right of center individuals
where conservatives can get together and regularly
meet online and have strictly conservative based
(28:24):
conversations. Sharing our personal
story is how we make a difference.
>> Chelsea Henderson (28:33):
Conservative and concerned about climate change.
You're not alone. My name is Chelsea Henderson
and I host Ruby Republicen.org's Eco
Right Speaks, bringing you weekly guest
interviews and stories. John Kasich.
Christine Todd Whitman. Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
Meteorologist Marshall Shepard. Each week we have a
conversation with an eco right leader bringing you
(28:55):
information, opinions, personal stories and
much, much more. Download, listen,
subscribe and join us. Uh, each week on the Eco
Right Speaks.
Hello and welcome to the Green Tea Party, where we
discuss conservative solutions to environmental problems.
My name is Katie Zakreski. Together, I'll guide you
through complex issues and provide strategies to address
them all, uh, while remaining faithful to my conservative
values. It'll be a good time, so grab your mugs and
we'll pour the tea.
(00:31):
Okay, everybody, I am super excited for today's episode.
Not that I'm normally excited for our episodes, but, um,
our Friends over at Citizens Climate Radio
are using the next couple of weeks to unveil a
big new project that they've been working on. Peterson, uh,
Toscano, as many of you know, is the producer of Citizens Climate
Radio, and he has been working on a project for
(00:52):
several months now, and it's called Hot Mess.
It features a lot of notable, uh, voices in the
climate area, in, uh, the climate sector, talking
about the history of climate change.
When things went a little bit wonky here in
America, um, climate change used to be a
bipartisan issue, but now it's not. And this podcast is in
(01:12):
a True Crime style and analyzes
the history of those changes. And you'll hear several familiar
voices on the show, um, including Chelsea Henderson, who
we've had on this show before. She's the host of Eco Rights
Speaks, uh, over with Republican. And yours
truly is on the show. So a little surprise
for you all. Sit back, relax. If you're a fan
(01:32):
of True crime, you're in for a treat. If you're a fan of
fighting climate change, then again, you're in for a treat.
So sit back, relax, get cozy, lock
your door, don't be spooked by any strange noises
in the night, and enjoy.
>> Peterson Toscano (01:48):
Welcome to Hot Mess. How Climate Consensus
Turned into Political Chaos. I'm
your host, Peterson Sentiscono.
In this six part series, we
explore elements of how the united concern
about global warming unraveled and
stalled climate change solutions.
We're especially curious about the people and
(02:10):
moments in history that have been overlooked.
Stories that have been underreported. Will
this be an exhaustion? Exhaustive history of climate
politics and the forces at play from the
1960s to the present?
>> Katie (02:23):
No.
>> Peterson Toscano (02:24):
That would require at least 600
episodes and a staff of 50
researchers. Instead, my
guests and I will reveal puzzle pieces that
will surprise you. You will learn about
Republican and Democratic climate heroes who
deserve recognition. And we
expose some of the forces behind the
(02:46):
dreadful shift from what had
consensus to address climate change to the
tragedy of missed opportunities, along with
the lies that misled countless
lawmakers and the public.
Through it all you will encounter people who saw through the
deception and kept their focus on the dangers that
(03:07):
threaten humanity and life on Earth. This is
a story of dangerous behavior by many and
the determination and resilience of a handful of
people. The story isn't over yet.
And for you listening right now, your part has yet
to be told. This special series is brought to
you by Citizens Climate Radio, a project
(03:27):
of Citizens Climate Education.
Uh, in this first
episode, we look at the very beginning
of climate politics and a period of
cooperation and consensus that may sound
like fantasy to many listening today.
In January 1977, a young
(03:47):
Congressman named Al Gore walked into the
US Capitol with a mission to educate his peers
about the greenhouse effect and push for
federal policies to combat it.
But Gore, a, uh, Democrat,
wasn't the first to raise the alarm.
And at that time, and before, it wasn't only the
(04:07):
Democrats who took the threat of global warming
seriously. In 1965,
President Lyndon B. Johnson was among
the first U.S. leaders to be briefed on the
impacts of rising carbon dioxide levels.
His Science Advisory committee issued a landmark
report warning that the burning of fossil
fuels was altering the atmosphere and could
(04:30):
lead to significant global warming.
Climate scientists were already alerting the President
to the long term threats posed by
carbon emissions, laying the groundwork
for future environmental policy.
Chelsea Henderson, host of Republic Ian's Eco Rights
Speaks podcast and author of the
(04:52):
Untold Story of Climate Politics, has created a
platform for conservatives seeking climate change
solutions. I asked Chelsea about the
early history when U.S. lawmakers first became
aware of the dangers posed by greenhouse gas
emissions.
>> Chelsea Henderson (05:11):
LBJ really embraced
the first policies that were more about
conservation, like let's make the land beautiful around us.
And so he was really worried about this, uh, briefing.
And he did what any president who was brought an
issue that they didn't fully understand and didn't know how to address
would do. He commissioned a report. And
(05:32):
that report was more broad strokes
about environmental conservation, but it had
23 page chapter on carbon dioxide
and the impacts of burning fossil fuels
and this blanket effect that was happening with the
carbon dioxide kind of making a blanket around the earth,
holding our warmer air in.
>> Peterson Toscano (05:52):
For the first time, US leadership was
formally warned about the long term dangers of
rising carbon dioxide levels
caused by burning fossil fuels.
The report highlighted the emerging science of climate
change, describing how carbon emissions
could form a heat trapping blanket around the
earth, causing global warming.
(06:15):
Yet despite these alarming findings, the immediate
policy response focused more on beautification and
conservation efforts such as cleaning up highways
and rivers, rather than tackling the more
abstract and distant threat of climate change.
Still, this early warning laid the
groundwork for future environmental policies.
(06:37):
In the early 1970s, something was in the
air. M
no, not just city smog, but also a political
will to address the causes and impacts of
pollution in the air and water.
Republican president Richard Nixon
was instrumental in advancing environmental legislation
during his presidency. In
(06:59):
1970, Nixon delivered a State of the Union address
where he declared the environment as the defining issue
of the decade. He poignantly
asked, shall we make our peace with
Nature and begin to make reparations for the
damage we have done to our air, to our land,
and to our water? This
(07:19):
pivotal moment set the stage for significant
bipartisan efforts to tackle pollution
and its effects. During
Nixon's administration, several landmark
pieces of environmental legislation were
enacted. The National Environmental Policy
act of 1970, which
required federal agencies to assess
(07:41):
the environmental impact of their actions.
The creation of the Environmental protection
agency, or EPA in 1970
to consolidate environmental responsibilities
and enforce regulations.
The Clean air Act of 1970, which
mandated the EPA to
(08:02):
establish and enforce air
quality standards. By early
1972, Nixon urged
lawmakers to work together to do even
more. On
February 8, 1972, Nixon
addressed Congress about the environment.
>> President Richard Nixon (08:21):
Each of us, all across this great land, has a
stake in maintaining and improving
environmental quality. Clean air and clean
water. The wise use of our land,
the protection of wildlife and natural beauty,
parks for all to enjoy. These are
part of the birthright of every American.
To guarantee that birthright, we must
(08:44):
act and act decisively. It
is literally now or never. During
the past three years, we have made a good
start. We have passed new laws to protect the
environment, and we immobilize the power of public
concern. But there is much yet to
be done. Eighteen of the major
environmental proposals which I put forward a year
(09:06):
ago has still not received final action by
the Congress. I repeat today
my urgent request for congressional action
on this much needed legislation.
And I am also presenting a number of new
proposals. The environmental
agenda now before the Congress includes laws
to deal with water pollution,
(09:28):
pesticide hazards, ocean
dumping, excessive noise,
careless land development and many other
environmental problems. These
problems will not stand still for
politics or for partisanship.
They demand to be met now.
By meeting them now, we can make
(09:51):
1972 the best year ever
for environmental progress.
The time has come for man
to make his peace with Nature. Let
us renew our commitment. Let us redouble
our effort. The quality of our life on
this good land is a cause
(10:11):
to unite all Americans.
>> Peterson Toscano (10:16):
President Richard Nixon signed the passage of the Marine
Mammal Protection act in 1970.
2 and the
Endangered Species act
in 1973. Both of these
laws are aimed at, ah, protecting wildlife
and their habitats. Nixon's effort laid the
foundation for modern environmental policy in the United
(10:39):
States, showcasing that environmental
protection can gain broad support
across the political spectrum.
Twelve years after President Lyndon B. Johnson became the
first U.S. president to be briefed on the dangers of
pollution from fossil fuels, another
(11:01):
leader raised the alarm.
In 1977, the newly elected
congressman arrived with a singular focus
on addressing the looming climate
crisis. Colleagues on both sides of the
aisle took the warning seriously.
>> Chelsea Henderson (11:18):
The day Al Gore walked into the US Capitol on
January. In January 1977, he
had one mission. To use his position to educate his
peers on the greenhouse effect and collaborate with them on
the federal policy to stop it from getting worse. He
failed to stoke any enthusiasm for the issue, but he
certainly was not the last to try. Over the last
45, actually 50 years,
(11:40):
senators, members of Congress, and even presidents on, um, both
sides of the aisle campaigned on fixing climate change.
But no bill ever made it to the Oval Office for signature.
>> Peterson Toscano (11:49):
Al Gore's early efforts in the late 70s
failed to immediately ignite widespread action
on climate change. While the
70s were a time of growing environmental
awareness, a different crisis pushed
the climate discussion into the background.
The oil embargo, you know, in the.
>> Chelsea Henderson (12:09):
70S, or anyone that was around during the 70s, you'll remember
the oil embargo, the oil crisis in
America. I remember being a little. And you could only get your
gas on a certain day, depending on what the last digit
of your license plate was. And so my parents had a car
that was an even number and a car that was an odd number, so we could get gas
any day. And I remember that being a big thing for them.
>> Peterson Toscano (12:30):
The oil crisis of the 1970s
reshaped America's relationship with energy
and led to a renewed focus on fossil fuel
dependence. Even so, the political will for
climate action began to stir this
time during the Reagan era, a, uh, time when
environmental regulations were being scaled back.
>> Chelsea Henderson (12:49):
Even while Reagan was trying to
deregulate a lot of our environmental
protections, um, that was kind of the hotbed
of bipartisan climate action.
>> Peterson Toscano (13:01):
Despite the rollback of environmental protections under
Reagan, the 1980s saw a rare moment
of bipartisan interest and climate
issues. Republicans and
Democrats worked together to address the
growing concern about pollution and energy
use, laying the groundwork for future climate
efforts. However, while there was
(13:23):
interest, no comprehensive climate legislation
reached the President's desk for signature.
During that time,
conservatives outside the USA also
attempted to mobilize action that would address
the Growing threats from climate change.
One significant figure was Conservative Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher, who acknowledged the dangers
(13:45):
of climate change in her famous
1989 speech at the UN General
Assembly.
>> Margaret Thatcher (13:51):
It is as, uh, menacing in its way as those more
accustomed perils with which international
diplomacy has concerned itself for
centuries. It is the prospect of
irretrievable damage to the
atmosphere, to the oceans,
to Earth itself. What we are now
doing to the world by degrading the land
(14:13):
surfaces, by polluting the waters, and
by adding greenhouse gases to the air at an
unprecedented rate. All this is
new in the experience of the Earth. It
is mankind and his activities
which are changing the environment of our planet
in damaging and dangerous ways.
(14:34):
Put in its bluntest form, um, the main
threat to our environment is more and more
people and their activities. The land they
cultivate ever more intensively, the forests
they cut down and burn, the mountainsides
they lay bare, the fossil fuels they burn,
um, the rivers and the seas they
pollute. The result is that change in
(14:57):
future is likely to be more fundamental
and more widespread than anything we have
known hitherto. The most pressing task which
faces us at the international level is to
negotiate a, uh, Framework Convention on
Climate Changed, a sort of good
conduct guide for all nations.
Fortunately, we have a model in the
(15:19):
action already taken to protect the ozone
layer. The viela Convention in
1985 and the Montreal
Protocol in 1987 established
landmarks in international law. They
aim to prevent rather than just
cure a, uh, global environmental
problem. I believe we should aim to have a
(15:41):
convention on global climate change
ready by the time the World Conference
on Environment and development meets
in 1992. That will be among the
most important conferences United nations
has ever held. Reason
is humanity's special gift.
(16:02):
It allows us to understand the structure of
the nucleus. It enables us to explore
the heavens. It helps us to conquer
disease. Now we must use our
reason to find a way in which we
could live with Nature and, uh, not
dominate Nature.
>> Peterson Toscano (16:36):
The concern grew through the 1990s and
into the 2000s. In 2008,
Al Gore's We Can Solve it initiative,
launched by the alliance for Climate Protection,
brought together some unexpected pairs
to highlight the bipartisan nature of the climate
crisis and the need for collective
(16:56):
action. One memorable ad
featured the Reverend Al Sharpton, a, uh,
liberal civil rights activist,
alongside Reverend Pat
Robertson, a conservative
televangelist.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:10):
I'm, um, on the left, and I'm usually right, and
we strongly disagree, except on one issue.
>> Margaret Thatcher (17:16):
Tell them what it is, Reverend Pat.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:17):
That would be our planet. Taking care of it is
extremely important.
>> Drew Ireley (17:22):
We all need to work together, liberals and
conservative.
>> President Richard Nixon (17:25):
So get involved. It's the right thing
to do.
>> Drew Ireley (17:29):
Now there you go again.
>> Peterson Toscano (17:30):
Uh, join us. Together we can solve the climate
crisis. Go to. We can solve it.org
the ads were designed to show that even those who
disagree on most issues can find
common ground when it comes to protecting
our planet. They aired on
national tv.
(17:51):
These well placed ads, though,
did not achieve the effect the alliance for Climate
Protection hoped to see.
>> Chelsea Henderson (17:58):
There was a series of ads,
including an ad with Newt Gingrich and Nancy
Pelosi.
>> President Richard Nixon (18:05):
We don't always see eye to eye, do we,
Newt? No, but we do agree
our country must take action to address climate change. We
need cleaner forms of energy and we need them fast.
If enough of us demand action from our leaders, we can spark
the innovation we need.
>> Peterson Toscano (18:20):
Go to.
>> President Richard Nixon (18:21):
We can. Solveit.org Together we
can do this.
>> Chelsea Henderson (18:26):
Now, Gingrich has rolled back his views from that. He
got a lot of pushback for appearing in that, uh, piece with her,
and he is now more in the climate disputer
camp. But there was a period
right around, or it was either right before Obama was elected or
right after Obama was elected when he did
have some of these unusual partners coming out. But, you know, and
(18:46):
we're kind of getting more into the present
day, the merchants of
doubt, as um, Bob Inglis likes to call
them, just continued to beat that partisan
drum.
>> Peterson Toscano (18:58):
Even so, some people in groups had reason to hope
that Congress would pass laws and society would
make the necessary changes to transform our
energy economy. Ah, uh, but I'm
getting ahead of myself.
We are here to learn about the twists and turns, the
doubts and lies, and the forces that
(19:19):
undermine the united concern about climate
change.
A man made storm began brewing back then, but
the 1990s, bipartisan cooperation began to
fall apart and a period of hostility
towards even the mention of climate
change started to take hold. How
did this happen?
(19:44):
Who is responsible? Who stood up against
it? And even amidst the most heated debate,
recognized the need to act together to address
the dangers posed by a rapidly changing
climate and the greenhouse gases that fueled
it.
Throughout this episode, you have heard commentary from Chelsea
Henderson. As the host of Republicans Eco Rights
(20:06):
Speaks podcast, she speaks with conservative
leaders who are serious about addressing the causes
of climate change. Chelsea is also the author of a
new Book, uh, the Untold Story of Climate
Politics. After we chatted about the early
history of climate change politics, I was curious
about the bipartisan divide. Even
(20:27):
when Democrats and Republicans agree that
climate change is a serious problem that needs to be
addressed, Chelsea Why do you think
climate change is an important issue for conservatives
to address? And what do conservative
bring to the table?
>> Chelsea Henderson (20:43):
When I was researching my Book Glacial the Inside Story of
Climate Politics, I was struck
with how deeply rooted the climate movement
is in these roots of
bipartisanship. And so it really takes
two sides. You don't get
durable, well thought
(21:04):
out policy when only one
side is contributing. And so when you look back
at the history, Richard Nixon was briefed on
climate change. Gerald Ford took on the
three big automakers to enact the first mandatory fuel
economy standards. And he didn't do it as an environmental
issue. He did it to conserve oil and sort of
(21:24):
stick it to OPEC because we were going to get
more miles on a tank of gas and so take that. But in
the end it had great impacts on
reducing tailpipe emissions. Um, Ronald
Reagan championed the Montreal Protocol, which
phased out the, uh, CFC
that were thinning the ozone layer.
(21:44):
George H.W. bush ran in
1988 on being the
greenhouse effect president. You, uh, just have
this rich history of conservative
lawmakers looking to be part of the
solutions. That system broke down a little bit
in the 90s and the early 2000s
and especially in the 2010, like
(22:07):
2010 to 2020 period, that decade
of disastrous disputation. You know, we're coming
back now, we're seeing conservatives come back to the table now
cautiously, there needs to be an understanding that
their role is just so critical if we're going
to truly solve this generational
crisis.
>> Peterson Toscano (22:26):
Thank you Chelsea for joining us on this journey. I, uh, look
forward to hear what you have to share in the next
episode of Hot Mess. Learn more about
Chelsea Henderson and the podcast
EcoRight speaks
by visiting
republicen.org that's
republicen.org you can hear her show
(22:48):
the Eagle Rightspeaks wherever you get podcast.
In this episode we looked at, uh, the early days of
climate awareness and moments of political unity
around addressing heat trapping greenhouse
gases. Understanding the past
helps us navigate the future. Even
as I record this, there is news of
(23:09):
yet more extreme weather,
displacing people from their homes, putting people's
lives at risk and damage that
takes billions and billions of dollars to
repair. All of this could have been avoided.
Imagine a different world if in
1965 lawmakers took this threat
seriously and had acted.
(23:30):
What world would we live in today perhaps
doesn't help to dwell on what could have been. Instead,
we need to look clearly at, ah, what has happened and
what we must do to make it
right. Thank you for joining me on
this journey. I'M Peterson Toscano and this is
Hot Mess. How Climate Consensus Turns Turned into
(23:51):
Political.
>> Katie (23:51):
Chaos Hot Mess is made possible through Citizens
Climate Education. The show has been researched by Horace
Mo, Lily Rushen and Peterson Toscano.
Editorial assistance from Flannery Winchester, Elise
Silvestri and Brett Siess. Production by Peterson
Toscano with assistance from Elise Silvestri. Music
for this episode comes from Epidemic Sound and Elise Silvestri.
>> Peterson Toscano (24:11):
Learn how you can be part of a bipartisan effort to pass
meaningful legislation that addresses fossil fuel
pollution. Visit
cclusa.org
action
that's
cclusa.org
action if you like this program and want to support
the work we do, share this episode with a friend
(24:32):
and on, uh, social media. You can also give a tax
deductible donation by visiting
citizensclimate education.org
Together we will make a difference.
>> Katie (24:54):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Green Tea Party
Radio where we gave you a little sneak peek of the first episode
of Hot Mess by the Friends over at Citizen
Climate Radio in Peterson Toscano. Be sure to
tune in next week to hear the next episode of Hot Mess
for you, our listener. Email us with your thoughts. Our
email is info
reenteapartyradio.com thank you for
(25:15):
listening to Green Tea Party Radio and a very special thank you to all
of our patrons. We couldn't do this without you. If
you're interested in getting early access to episodes as well as Green Tea
Party Radio merch, check us
out@greentpartyradio.com if you have
feedback. Tell us what's on your mind and follow us on Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. And and just so you know,
this is our passion project. We don't have any organizational
(25:37):
sponsor. And again, another reminder that Green Tea Party Radio is not
representative of the Diocese of Little Rock, uh, Catholic Climate Covenant, or
any of our employers. We're just a bunch of young people who are
building a movement because we want the world to know that conservatives, and
particularly young ones like us, have important things to say
about climate change. And if you want to hear us on your
college radio station, be sure to email us@,
(25:58):
uh, inforedeenteapartyradio.com and give us the details
about your campus and your radio station. That email
again is info
reenteapartyradio.com thanks for
listening.
>> Drew Ireley (26:15):
Hi, I'm Drew Irely. I am the Conservative Outreach
Director for Citizens Climate Lobby. My path
to being a conservative concerned, uh, about climate
action was definitely a long one.
Growing up, it was a very rural area. You had to be into
the outdoors or you were going to be bored out of your mind. So I grew up
doing a lot of hunting, fishing. I was
(26:36):
only the second person on my mom's side to graduate
high School. I uh, graduated 6-6-05 at like
7:30 at night and by 8:00 the next
morning I was on my way to basic training. On
my 17th birthday I had deployments
to Iraq, Afghanistan, rotations through Cuba. It
was during this time that I really became
(26:57):
concerned with energy infrastructure. But I wasn't ready
to take action yet. It took the birth of a
10 pound baby girl with cheeks so big she couldn't
open her eyes to really get me to open
mine. My life just went from the next 50 years
to the next 75. What if she's
the veteran that follows in my footsteps and
she's in the VA suffering from exposure?
(27:20):
You know, what if she's on a fossil fuel route and
subject to an ied? How will I be able to look at her in
the eye and say, I knew that this
could be an issue that you would have to face and I chose to do nothing about
it? It's why we fight wars. We fight them
now so our kids don't have to.
I am fighting climate change now so my
(27:41):
daughters don't have to. A lot of people, you know, they say
conservatives don't care about climate change and
it's not true at all. We just want
sensible policies that don't destroy the economy.
In trying to find a solution, we have that here at Citizens
Climate Lobby.
(28:03):
There are a lot of leadership opportunities for
conservatives, especially in red states
and districts with Republican Congressional
offices. Conservatives can also join
CCL's Conservative caucus. It's a national
group of Republicans and other right of center individuals
where conservatives can get together and regularly
meet online and have strictly conservative based
(28:24):
conversations. Sharing our personal
story is how we make a difference.
>> Chelsea Henderson (28:33):
Conservative and concerned about climate change.
You're not alone. My name is Chelsea Henderson
and I host Ruby Republicen.org's Eco
Right Speaks, bringing you weekly guest
interviews and stories. John Kasich.
Christine Todd Whitman. Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
Meteorologist Marshall Shepard. Each week we have a
conversation with an eco right leader bringing you
(28:55):
information, opinions, personal stories and
much, much more. Download, listen,
subscribe and join us. Uh, each week on the Eco
Right Speaks.
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