Two former members of Congress, one republican and one democrat, spoke about bipartisan solutions to global climate change Wednesday evening in the courtroom of University of Idaho’s College of Law.
Rep. Bob Inglis, a republican who served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina, was joined by Rep. Brian Baird, who represented western Washington’s 3rd District for six terms.
Their public presentation titled “Crossing Party Lines for Climate Action” detailed the importance of tackling climate issues regardless of political affiliation.
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“Climate change is real and we must do something about it,” Inglis said. “There’s a way to get there, and we think it’s through a carbon tax that’s revenue neutral.”
More than 40 governments worldwide have adopted some sort of extra price on carbon, either through taxing fossil fuels directly or through cap-and-trade programs, which are intended to gradually reduce pollution by giving companies incentives to invest in clean alternatives.
Baird also expressed support for a carbon tax.
“We’re going to need an incentive like a carbon tax which will help drive and reward technology,” Baird said. “We’re going to need personal behavior change, international agreements, economic structures and we have to fund the hell out of innovation.”
He said the Trump administration has tried to zero out innovative research that would create new solutions to climate change.
Baird and Inglis are old friends and share a history of working together in the house — Baird chaired the subcommittee on Energy and Environment, part of the Science and Technology committee, while Inglis served as the ranking republican.
Inglis emphasized “coming together to find a solution.”
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In addition to the evening talk, Baird and Inglis met with faculty members who study and teach about climate change, as well students at the UI and Moscow High School. They will speak at a Pizza and Politics program in Pullman Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. in Bryan Hall room 308.
Their visit to the Palouse is sponsored by the UI’s Sustainability Center, along with four student groups: the Society of American Foresters, the Economics Club, the Federalist Society and the Environmental Law Society.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @angelapalermo7