Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly newsletter about FCNL’s environmental work, ways to engage members of Congress, and stories that impact our work.
Climate Change Worsened Hurricane Florence
Climate change significantly exacerbated Hurricane Florence. Scientific evidence suggests that storms of this scale will grow in frequency and severity unless we do something to address It.
Climate change intensifies hurricanes for several reasons. Rising sea levels contribute to massive storm surges, flooding larger areas of land. Warming oceans also generate more intense rainfall and stronger winds.
Our concern about these extreme weather events goes beyond their physical scope to the communities they impact. Time and again, we see that poor and marginalized communities experience the harshest impacts of these storms.
Read more about Hurricane Florence and the role climate change may play in future storms.
Action Alert: Ask Your Candidates Where They Stand on Climate Action
Ask your candidates about climate change
The effects of climate change are already being felt by communities around the world. The election gives us an opportunity to help set our nation’s direction for the next two years. By asking your candidates about climate change, you remind them that their constituents want Congress to legislate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and support international solutions, like the Paris Climate Agreement.
Put your candidates on the record. Ask them: How should the U.S. be involved in international efforts to address climate change?
The Trump Administration Rolls Back Regulations on Methane Emissions
The Trump administration has rescinded an Obama-era regulation designed to prevent methane gas from being emitted during oil and gas production on federal and tribal land. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. While it does not last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it is far more harmful to the environment, trapping heat 86 times more powerfully than carbon dioxide.
This rollback is the latest in a series of harmful actions that strip us of environmental protections. To date, the administration has revised, rewritten, or attempted to repeal 76 regulations, most aimed at addressing climate change.
This harmful decision by President Trump demonstrates the need for bipartisan, congressional action. Action taken unilaterally by one president can easily be reversed by the next, but legislation is much harder to undo. At FCNL we remain committed to achieving common-sense, bipartisan climate solutions.
The Climate Solutions Caucus Grows
The Climate Solutions Caucus gained four new members in September: Reps. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16), Mike Doyle (PA-14), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Francis Rooney (FL-19).
News and Updates
While Hurricane Florence garnered major coverage in U.S. news, Typhoon Mangkhut was this year’s most intense storm.
The United Nations General Assembly met last week. One of the climate-related issues they focused on - international climate finance - is something FCNL advocates have supported for many years.
A panel of top climate scientists are convening in South Korea and are preparing to recommend much deeper cuts to fossil fuel emissions to stave off global temperature rise.
Last week, faith leaders from around the world convened in Buenos Aires ahead of the G20 Summit to explore the role religious organizations must play in working to stop climate change.
Constituent Spotlight: Friends Central School
This week, students from Friends Central School in Philadelphia traveled to FCNL to learn about lobbying and meet with their members of Congress. Pictured are students speaking with Rep. Dwight Evans’ (PA-02) staffer about the Climate Solutions Caucus, and students urging Sen. Pat Toomey’s staffer to protect climate funding in our federal budget.
