New Op-Ed from S4CD
We Cannot Solve Climate Change Without Bipartisanship
By George Gemelas
In a new op-ed in Real Clear Energy, George Gemelas (S4CD’s Executive Vice President) makes the case for bipartisanship—not as an idealized goal, but as an essential component of any effective US response to climate change.
As he writes:
“Between now and 2050, the US will be led by at least four presidents and 15 different Congresses. Τo meet the decades-long climate challenge, our country will have to introduce and sustain solutions that can deliver on ambitious decarbonization goals—policies that can pass and last across the inevitable swings in political administrations.”
Instead of single-party executive actions that are quickly undone in the next administration, we need bipartisan solutions that can “stand the test of time.”
The carbon dividends plan is one such approach that…it has attracted the support of environmentalists, businesses, and thought leaders across the political spectrum. Even young people have gravitated toward this approach.
Gemelas continues by spotlighting the historic Student Government Leaders’ Statement on Carbon Dividends, which was coordinated by the S4CD team:
Earlier this academic year, over 400 student government presidents—representing all 50 states and more than 4 million students—signed a joint-statement in support of the carbon dividends framework. The largest ever public declaration of student government leaders, it united Republicans and Democrats alike.
As he summarizes:
Bipartisanship takes extra work, but it is also what addressing climate change requires. As we build toward the next Earth Day and many more to come, we must remember America’s climate response is a relay race. It demands hustle but also smooth baton-passing from one political administration to the next. Our race against time is one we can win, but only if we pave the pathways critical for long-term coordination.