As we watch the spectacle of Congressional Democrats fighting among themselves over President Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) bill it has become critical to understand that: the bill contains all of the President’s climate change provisions; climate change is threatening Santa Barbara with drought and more wildfires; one Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin, is now demanding the clean-power provision be stripped from the bill, no surprise from a man who owns coal businesses and represents the coal-producing state West Virginia; and the bill with all of its climate change provisions needs to be passed prior to October 31.
Beginning October 31, world leaders will meet in Glasgow, Scotland, at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference (COP26) to address commitments to cutting fossil-fuel emissions. Santa Barbarians should be focused on this summit. Drought and wildfires are climate change signatures. Santa Barbara is currently experiencing extreme drought. And, as the Alisal Fire, still burning, proves, we are susceptible to year-round wildfires. This is not going to change unless and until we deal with climate change.
Glasgow is the world’s last best chance to lessen the coming dangers of climate change. Like all things political, this meeting needs leadership, which can only come from the United States.
