Commentary: Big Tent Ideas

CHRISTOPHER BARNARD: The GOP Can Win By Embracing Climate Solutions, Rejecting Climate Hysteria

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With the second GOP primary debate in California just days away, new research shows that caring about climate change was one of the most powerful predictors of independent voters voting for President Biden in 2020 — yet a majority of voters now disapprove of the president’s handling of the issue.

There is a serious demand for common-sense climate policy from independents and young Republicans, especially since the only audience question at the last debate – from one of my organization’s leaders – was about this topic. A compelling Republican message on lowering energy costs and carbon emissions could very well prove decisive in the general election.

It’s not enough to push back on the excesses and irrationality of some far-left plans, like opposing carbon-free nuclear power and domestic mining for the resources needed to build innovative new energy technologies. GOP candidates must articulate a positive, patriotic, and powerful alternative. It’s time for an America first climate agenda. American ingenuity is the only solution to strengthening our economy and energy security while slashing global emissions — more than any liberal policies could.

Blocking U.S. oil and gas production doesn’t eliminate international demand, it just means higher-emitting fuels from foreign countries meet it. Blocking domestic mining for critical minerals and uranium, crucial for advanced energy technologies, makes us more dependent on adversaries like China and Russia for these resources. Blocking nuclear power just sacrifices our energy security and ability to reduce emissions.

It’s good to point out these counterproductive approaches to climate. And it’s entirely unsurprising that most Americans disapprove of how the administration, which is implementing some of these misguided far-left ideas, is dealing with climate change. But it’s even better for GOP presidential candidates to articulate a smart agenda that can make the difference in the race for the White House.

That agenda starts with acknowledging the United States’ carbon advantage. Our economy is three times as carbon efficient as China’s economy and four times as efficient as Russia’s economy. We must build on this lead.

Harnessing market forces to create better, and even more cost-effective, energy solutions is the answer. We should prioritize the development and deployment of low- and zero-carbon technologies that are affordable — and then export them around the world to meet power demand while reducing emissions. Let’s export U.S. innovation, not regulations.

Some Democrats seem to think that throwing money at climate change will solve the problem. But that is an incomplete, and inefficient, way to decarbonize. Two-thirds of the clean electricity subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act, for example, are going to projects that would have been built without the legislation being signed into law. It’s time to stop government red tape and needless bureaucracy from impeding American energy dominance. It’s time to champion permitting reform to get more clean energy on the grid.

Some might argue that climate change only concerns Democrats and some independent voters, not Republicans. But, according to polling from CRES Forum, 81% of Republicans aged 18 to 44 believe climate change is a threat and action must be taken. And, according to the very conservative audience at the first primary debate that booed when Vivek Ramaswamy called the climate change agenda a hoax, Republican voters are tired of those who would dismiss the issue.

Republicans should capitalize on the fact that Americans are displeased with the Biden administration’s climate agenda. By promoting a common-sense plan that would be better for our economy and climate, presidential candidates can win more votes in the general election.

But they shouldn’t wait to debut smart, America-first climate policies. The debate stage in California is the perfect opportunity to outline a new vision — better and bolder than most of the commentary offered last month in Milwaukee.

Christopher Barnard is the president of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). Follow him on X @ChrisBarnardDL.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.