Curbelo Named to Annual List of 50 Emerging Green LeadersCurbelo Named a Grist “Fixer” For Making the Republican Case for Climate Solutions
Today, Representative Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus, was named to the Grist 50, an annual list of emerging green leaders put together by climate change advocates. This year’s list is focused on “The Fixers,” 50 innovators with fresh, forward-thinking solutions to some of humanity's biggest challenges.
Meet the Fixer: Carlos Curbelo Makes the Republican Case for Climate Solutions Grist March 21, 2017 http://grist.org/grist-50/profile/carlos-curbelo/ … When you’re from fast-flooding south Florida, you don’t have the luxury of ignoring climate change... Carlos Curbelo, whose district stretches from Key West to just outside Miami, has urged his fellow Republicans to take the threat of rising seas and stronger storms seriously since he was first elected to Congress in 2014. He joined with Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, a fellow Floridian, to form the Climate Solutions Caucus. The group now has 26 members — 13 Dems, 13 Republicans. (Keeping the 1:1 ratio is a built-in requirement.) “I tell my skeptical colleagues: When my district is underwater, I’ll move to their district and run against them. That usually breaks the ice.” Curbelo has found that many GOP lawmakers secretly understand and accept climate science — they’re just afraid to say so publicly because the issue has become so polarized… “You’ve got to be smart about how this issue is framed,” he says. “Republicans are great fans of American energy independence, innovation, and business growth.” … “If the administration attempts to reject or undermine or suppress the climate science,” he says, “I will speak out strongly against it.” Get that man a waterproof microphone. Read the full profile here. |