Western States Face Record Heat & Historic Drought, But GOP Rejects Green Infrastructure Funding

The Portland/Vancouver area hit 108 degrees yesterday, beating the all-time record of 107. Today and tomorrow are forecasted to reach somewhere between 111-115 degrees here. The climate crisis is the single greatest emergency humankind has ever faced. To continue to deny, distract, ignore, lie, minimize, be silent, and in any way perpetuate the deadly status quo and complicity with the toxic fossil fuel industry — rather than act to save ourselves — is the single greatest crime against humanity and all life on Earth in history. We must act now to coordinate nationally and globally the implementation of the radical systemic changes vital to our survival and the welfare of all of the children of all of the species on Earth. ― Molly

As lawmakers in Washington continue to negotiate over an infrastructure bill that Democrats say needs to include major new funding to address the climate crisis, much of the U.S. is experiencing record heat, with many western states seeing record temperatures, drought and water shortages. “The climate crisis is here now,” says climate and energy researcher Leah Stokes, an assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “The climate crisis is really happening right now, and every single year we delay on passing a climate bill, the worse the crisis gets.”

Please go here for the original interview and full transcript: https://www.democracynow.org/2021/6/22/leah_stokes_climate_infrastructure_heat_wave