By Larry Schweiger

For those who might still think that climate change only matters to treehuggers, check out what some courageous leaders from communities on the frontlines of climate impacts said as they are in Washington DC today to ask their Senators to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill:

"Climate change is a civil rights issue and the most vulnerable people to its dangerous impacts are inner city African-Americans," said Hilary O. Shelton, senior vice president for Advocacy and director of the NAACP DC Bureau. "The time is now to enact comprehensive climate change policies."

"Across the nation, we are already feeling real and growing impacts from climate change," said Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president and CEO, Hip Hop Caucus. "We need fair and equitable solutions to propel the clean energy economy, reduce pollution and create millions of new jobs."

As I spoke with these leaders and others last night at dinner, what struck me is how well they understand that climate change will affect each one of us and the places and people we love. And today as these courageous leaders share their stories with their leaders in Congress, I hope our Congressional leaders will also be reminded that climate change is going to affect the places and people they love too.

And on another good note for communities today, President Obama announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history.  This will help promote energy-saving choices for consumers.

Download TESTIMONY OF LARRY SCHWEIGER-10-28-09

By Larry Schweiger

Tomorrow I’ll be testifying in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the need to safeguard wildlife and natural resources and the essential services they provide to every American from the disastrous effects of climate change. See my testimony in support of natural resources adaptation funding in the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

And today Sen. Jeff Bingaman introduced legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Baucus, Whitehouse, and Udall, called the "Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act" that calls for dedicated funding for natural resources and wildlife safeguards.

With the momentum we’re gaining on these fronts and the findings from the CNN poll released today that 60% of Americans support cap and trade climate legislation, we are now in our best position ever to win on natural resources safeguards and federal climate legislation.

By Larry Schweiger

The Department of Interior gave the polar bear some relief yesterday by proposing to designate over 200,000 square miles of the polar bear’s melting ice habitat and other habitat as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.

Polar bears need all the help they can get. Did you know that United States Geological Survey scientists conservatively project that two-thirds of the global polar bear population could disappear by 2050, including all of Alaska’s polar bears.  How can we let that happen?

If you want to help polar bears by reducing the biggest threat to their survival – global warming pollution – go to How You Can Help.

By Larry Schweiger

Veterans of the U.S. armed forces are doing a bus tour around the country speaking on energy independence and climate change as national security matters. Pennsylvania State Representative Daryl Metcalfe called the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans touring with Operation FREE "traitors" in an email to the entire Pennsylvania state delegation on Friday.

What’s even more amazing is that he’s still standing by his comments. Our dependence on foreign oil and climate change threaten America’s interests. The Center for Naval Analysis, comprised of eleven retired generals, found that climate change is a "threat multiplier that required the full attention of the Department of Defense and US government to act before it is too late."

And a new report from the National Research Council finds that America’s current energy mix has a "hidden cost" of about $120 billion a year – not including the costs of climate change or U.S. military expenditures needed to protect our access to foreign oil.

I wonder if Rep. Metcalfe knows that once the cost of securing our access to foreign oil is factored in, the true cost of gas is $10 a gallon?

The courageous Operation FREE veterans understand the sacrifice that American military families are making every day to protect America. Why should we continue to put our service men and women in harm’s way by not taking action to secure America with clean energy?

Rep. Metcalfe doesn’t speak for all Pennsylvanians. As a native Pennsylvanian, I call these veterans heroes and thank them for their courage speaking up for our energy independence.

Now we need to do our part. Learn more about how you can help keep America clean, strong and secure by passing legislation that will improve our energy efficiency, boost clean energy and cut climate change pollution.

By Larry Schweiger

World Wildlife Fund released a report today that says we have until 2014 – five years – to initiate a low carbon economy before dangerous climate change tipping points and major economic disruptions are almost inevitable. The report also says that pricing carbon won’t be enough to bring about this transformation.

This report agrees with the thesis of my new book Last Chance: Preserving Life on Earth, that a transition of this speed will require the fastest industrial transformation in history but will reap economic and job benefits and enhance our national security and energy independence. As I say in my new book:

"The end of the carbon age is in view…Americans deserve safer energy choices and a rational energy policy that eliminates CO2 and other fossil fuel emissions from our skies. Most know that we must end our dangerous addiction to Middle Eastern oil controlled by dictators who hold the United States with disdain, but few Americans have fully grasped that we are running out of time to avoid a climate catastrophe. Since energy from the sun and wind are free, why do we continue to be addicted to expensive oil and dirty coal that are overheating our planet and cooling our economy?

"We must now move quickly to purge carbon emissions from every aspect of our economy and deploy creative ways to help nature remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere. The good news is that all of this vital work will create millions of high-tech and green-collar jobs in the United States, and it will spawn new corporations whose business model is green and black."

So what’s the biggest impediment to realizing this dream? We need to overcome the "entrenched and dirty carbon industry and their allies, who are blinded, brainwashed or too threatened to see the wondrous transformation ahead."

By Larry Schweiger

In my new book Last Chance: Preserving Life on Earth, I write that large tracts of the vast Amazonian rainforest ecosystem may be on the brink of irreversible collapse if the drought and other global warming effects on the Amazon continue and deforestation is not brought into check.

Last year I went to see some of the threats to the Amazon rainforest firsthand with Dr. Tom Lovejoy of The H. John Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment and other activists. Seeing the destruction firsthand made me better understand how precious these forests are and how important it is that we conserve them.

Did you know that 17% of global carbon emissions come from tropical deforestation? What’s even more troubling is that rainforests absorb almost one fifth of global carbon emissions each year. Which is why I agree with Prince Charles: "If we lose the battle against tropical deforestation we lost the battle against climate change."

And which is why I’m pleased to be a supporter of The Prince’s Rainforest Project. I joined with many leaders in the US to speak in this video on behalf of the rainforests. Over half of the world’s species call the rainforests home. The frog in this video is just one of the countless creatures, including humans, that are depending on us to make sure they have a safe place to live.

I encourage you to add your voice to the many others speaking on behalf of protecting tropical rainforests.  Go to The Prince’s Rainforest Project.

By Larry Schweiger

I was glad to see renewed momentum this week for bipartisan Senate action on an energy and climate bill. President Obama said yesterday at a New Orleans town hall meeting that the White House is ready to fight for a climate and energy package after the health care debate.

And Senator Graham hit the nail on the head in his response to some pushback at Furman University about his alignment with Senator Kerry this week to support a climate and energy bill that will put America back in control of our national security. I love Senator Graham’s response:

"The reason I’m talking to John Kerry is because I’m trying to find a way to get energy independence off the sidelines and become a reality."

I'm so proud of the leadership of National Wildlife Federation’s affiliate South Carolina Wildlife Federation which is supporting Senator Graham’s work to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

With all this leadership it’s time to get ready for a Senate energy and climate bill before the negotiations in Copenhagen. We’re up next.

By Larry Schweiger

Nice job by Ben Gregg of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation on a National Wildlife Federation telepress briefing today where Ben reiterated what Senators Graham and Kerry said Saturday: that it’s time for climate solutions that will create American jobs and increase our energy independence.

I know both Ben Gregg and Senator Graham personally. They have something in common besides being South Carolinians. Both are men of character who are adhering to their core principles in order to put what’s right for South Carolinians and their country first. As Ben said on the press call today, addressing climate change isn’t about isn’t left or right, it’s about right and wrong. And Senator Graham is adhering to his core principles of energy independence, economic opportunity and national security for America.

What Senator Graham has done has increased the chances that we will get a climate bill this year. I hope other elected officials will take note of Ben Gregg and the vast majority of Americans who want action on energy and climate, and follow in the footsteps of Sen. Graham’s courageous leadership.