{"id":2183833,"date":"2024-02-22T12:51:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T17:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/governor-of-nations-largest-coal-state-leads-charge-to-decarbonize-the-west\/"},"modified":"2024-02-22T12:55:45","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T17:55:45","slug":"governor-of-nations-largest-coal-state-leads-charge-to-decarbonize-the-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/governor-of-nations-largest-coal-state-leads-charge-to-decarbonize-the-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Coal State Governor Leads West&#8217;s Decarbonization Efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgovernor-of-nations-largest-coal-state-leads-charge-to-decarbonize-the-west%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2183833&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Republicans Embrace \u200cCarbon Sequestration\u2062 as Climate Change \u2063Solution<\/h2>\n<p>Carbon sequestration\u2062 has become the go-to solution \u200dfor\u200c Republicans when it comes to addressing climate change. GOP governors in western states are leading\u200c the charge by storing concentrated CO2 underground. However, Wyoming\u200b Governor Mark Gordon, who chairs the Western Governors Association, may\u2063 be leading his state down the wrong path.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, lawmakers in Wyoming heard from members of the CO2 Coalition who challenged Governor Gordon&#8217;s commitment to decarbonize the \u200dstate. Dr. William\u200d Happer, founder of the CO2 Coalition, even compared these efforts to a &#8220;religion&#8221; during\u200d a Senate committee hearing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1562295461\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-39242bc92761bdbb8269ccf657f18cf8 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-39242bc92761bdbb8269ccf657f18cf8\"><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;If you look around, you need something bigger than yourself \u2063to \u200bmake your life worthwhile,&#8221; Happer said. &#8220;What&#8217;s bigger than saving the planet? The problem is the planet doesn&#8217;t need saving.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The hearing featured testimony from Happer, along with the \u200bcoalition&#8217;s \u200bexecutive director, Dr. Gregory Wrightstone, and Frits Byron Soepyan, a \u2064chemical \u2063engineer. \u200cOther\u2064 notable members of \u200cthe\u2064 CO2 \u200bCoalition&#8217;s board, including Drs. Patrick Moore and John Clauser, did not \u200ctestify \u200cat the hearing.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Let \u2064me just address this\u200d 1.5-degree narrative,&#8221; Wrightstone said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>It&#8217;s already warmed 1.2 degrees. So, of \u200dthat 1.5, it&#8217;s warmed 1.2. So, what they&#8217;re telling you is beware of \u200cthree-tenths of a degree centigrade \u2063of warming which \u2063equates to half a degree Fahrenheit. It&#8217;s just changed half a degree Fahrenheit in\u200d this room recently,\u200c you&#8217;ve never noticed it. It wouldn&#8217;t trigger the\u200d thermostats on or off. It changes more than half \u200ca degree Fahrenheit between 11 \u2064a.m. and\u200d noon on almost every single day, and if you&#8217;re that worried\u2063 about half a\u200b degree Fahrenheit of warming, you can\u2064 move 19 miles farther north and your average \u200ctemperature will \u2064drop half a degree \u2062Fahrenheit. That&#8217;s what they&#8217;re warning us about.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Last week&#8217;s proceedings were held in response to Governor Gordon&#8217;s decision to back out of a debate with the coalition that he had previously agreed to. This \u2064move has caused disagreement among legislators in Wyoming.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is \u200cno\u200b secret that many legislators disagree with the governor and his stance and policies regarding CO2,&#8221; said Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, the chair of the\u200b committee. &#8220;However, this meeting is strictly about\u200b CO2 \u200cand\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-taps-sanctuary-city-supporter-to-oversee-ice-prosecutions\/\" title=\"Biden Taps \u2018Sanctuary City\u2019 Supporter To Oversee ICE Prosecutions\">related policy issues<\/a>, and in no way intended to be personal in any way to the governor.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Decarbonizing The West<\/h2>\n<p>The forum was organized to protest Governor Gordon&#8217;s &#8220;decarbonizing the West&#8221; initiative, which he declared a top priority while leading the Western Governors Association. In a speech at Harvard University, Gordon proudly stated, &#8220;We are \u2064the first state that has said we are going to be carbon negative.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You can&#8217;t \u2063really do that without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-kerry-implies-net-zero-emissions-goal-not-good-enough-says-we-need-to-get-carbon-dioxide-out-of-the-atmosphere\/\" title=\"John Kerry Implies Net-Zero Emissions Goal Not Good Enough, Says We Need To \u2018Get Carbon Dioxide Out Of The Atmosphere\u2019\">direct air capture<\/a> or somehow doing carbon \u2063capture and sequestration,&#8221; Gordon explained. He is betting on new technology embraced \u2063by Republican governors across the\u200d country. Other governors, like Alaska&#8217;s Mike Dunleavy, have also introduced legislative packages to capitalize on \u2063carbon markets and implement carbon capture\u2063 programs.<\/p>\n<p>In North and South Dakota, Republican governors Doug Burgum and Kristi Noem have championed carbon capture projects. \u2063Burgum stated, &#8220;Today, we&#8217;re on our way toward achieving carbon neutrality as a \u2064state by 2030.&#8221; These initiatives aim to secure the future\u200b of energy\u200b and\u200b agriculture industries.<\/p>\n<p>While carbon sequestration has\u2063 its risks, such as the explosion in Mississippi that caused mass poisoning, there are alternative methods like\u2062 biological carbon sequestration. This involves absorbing carbon dioxide into soils, oceans,\u2062 grasslands, and forests through\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/where-is-kristi-noem-as-her-corporate-sponsors-take-over-constituents-land\/\" title=\"Where is Kristi Noem while corporate sponsors seize constituents' land?\">responsible land management<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s worth noting that hundreds of scientists \u200ddispute \u2062the urgency of carbon dioxide as an existential threat. In fact, one of \u2064the\u200c CO2 Coalition&#8217;s board members, Nobel laureate John \u2063Clauser, signed a \u200ddeclaration stating that the climate\u2062 &#8220;emergency&#8221; is a myth.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200cincreased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere\u200d has been shown to promote forest growth, known as the &#8220;greening&#8221; effect. This challenges the notion\u200c that carbon dioxide is solely detrimental to\u200d the\u2062 environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2064 What are the differing \u2063perspectives on carbon sequestration as a solution to climate change?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200dD \u200dclimate change and the differing perspectives surrounding it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Carbon sequestration\u2062, or the\u200b process of capturing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/johnson-brings-more-spending-bills-to-floor-seeking-position-of-strength-with-senate\/\" title=\"Johnson introduces additional spending bills, aiming for a strong position with the Senate.\">storing carbon dioxide<\/a>\u2063 from the atmosphere, has gained traction\u200b as a favored solution\u200d for\u2062 Republicans when addressing climate change. Republican governors in western states, particularly Wyoming&#8217;s Governor Mark \u200bGordon, have taken \u2063the lead in implementing projects\u200c to store concentrated CO2 underground. However, Governor Gordon&#8217;s commitment to decarbonization has faced criticism from members of the\u200b CO2 Coalition.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, \u200dlawmakers in Wyoming held a hearing to discuss \u200bGovernor Gordon&#8217;s approach\u200d to decarbonization. \u2062Dr. William \u2063Happer, founder of the CO2 Coalition, went as\u2062 far\u2062 as likening these efforts\u2063 to a &#8220;religion,&#8221; expressing his \u2064skepticism \u200dduring a Senate committee hearing. He stated,\u2062 &#8220;If you look around, you need something\u2063 bigger than yourself to make your life worthwhile. What&#8217;s bigger than saving the planet? \u2062The problem is the planet\u200d doesn&#8217;t need saving.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The hearing included testimony from\u2062 Dr. Happer, as \u200cwell as Dr. Gregory Wrightstone, the coalition&#8217;s\u200b executive director, and Frits Byron Soepyan, a chemical \u200bengineer. Notably absent were other prominent members of the CO2 Coalition&#8217;s\u2062 board, including Drs.\u2062 Patrick Moore and John Clauser.<\/p>\n<p>During\u200d his testimony, \u200dDr. Wrightstone \u200baddressed\u200c the narrative surrounding the 1.5-degree target \u200bfor global warming. He argued that the temperature has\u2062 already \u200bincreased by 1.2 \u2064degrees, \u200bdownplaying the significance of \u200dthe remaining three-tenths of a degree centigrade. He emphasized \u200bthat such a small change\u2064 in temperature would not be noticeable \u200cin day-to-day life.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing was a response to Governor Gordon&#8217;s decision to withdraw from a\u2064 previously \u2064agreed \u200ddebate with the CO2 Coalition. This move\u200c has caused disagreement among\u200b legislators in Wyoming, with some expressing their disagreement\u2063 with\u2063 the governor&#8217;s stance \u2063and policies \u2062on CO2.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is no \u200csecret that many legislators disagree with the governor \u2062and his stance and \u2064policies regarding CO2,&#8221; noted Senator Cheri Steinmetz, the chair of the committee. &#8220;However, this meeting\u200b is \u200bstrictly about CO2 and climate change and the \u2063differing perspectives surrounding it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Republican \u200cembrace of\u200d carbon sequestration as a climate change solution reflects a shifting attitude \u200dwithin the party. While Republicans have often been criticized for their reluctance to acknowledge climate change, this recent focus on carbon sequestration demonstrates a \u2063willingness to address \u2064the issue, albeit with differing opinions\u2064 on \u200bthe most effective approach.<\/p>\n<p>Carbon sequestration projects, such as the storage of CO2 \u200cunderground, \u2063offer a practical \u200cmeans of\u200c reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impacts of \u200dclimate change. These projects have the\u200d potential to not only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-awarded-1-2-billion-for-hydrogen-fuel-development\/\" title=\"California receives .2 billion for hydrogen fuel development.\">decrease greenhouse gas\u200b emissions<\/a> but also provide economic opportunities through job creation and technological advancements.<\/p>\n<p>However, critics\u2062 argue that carbon\u200c sequestration \u2062should not be the sole solution to climate change. They\u200c emphasize the \u2062importance of reducing carbon emissions at the source by transitioning\u200b to renewable\u2062 energy sources and implementing sustainable practices. Some\u2063 suggest \u200cthat carbon sequestration projects \u200bcould \u200binadvertently delay the urgency \u200bto address \u2063the root causes of climate change.<\/p>\n<p>As the \u200bdebate continues, it \u2063is essential for policymakers to consider a \u200ccomprehensive approach that incorporates\u200b both carbon sequestration and \u200demissions\u200b reductions. Collaboration\u2064 among stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, industry \u2064leaders, and environmental \u200badvocates, is\u200b crucial in developing effective strategies to combat climate change.<\/p>\n<p>The Republican embrace of carbon sequestration as a climate change solution highlights a growing recognition of the\u2063 need\u2063 to address this global challenge. While \u2063differing opinions remain, \u200cthe\u2062 focus on carbon sequestration underscores a step toward finding common ground and working towards a sustainable \u200band resilient future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Carbon sequestration is now favored by Republicans as a solution to climate change. GOP governors in western states are storing large amounts of concentrated CO2 underground. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, head of the Western Governors Association, is leading this effort, despite the potential harm to his state. Recently, Wyoming lawmakers received input from CO2 experts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":2183834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/48427307391_cfe7ce3dec_k-e1708451340672.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2183833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/48427307391_cfe7ce3dec_k-e1708451340672.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2183833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183833\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2183834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2183833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2183833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2183833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}