Last week, we posted MN legislators join colleagues nationwide in supporting climate action, Paris agreement and Readers: Where are the other DFL gubernatorial candidates, MN legislators on climate action?
We're learning more about DFL gubernatorial candidates' positions on climate action.
State Representative Erin Murphy's gubernatorial press staff emailed us about the St. Paul Democrat's position:
I saw your recent article about State Legislators United for Climate Action and wanted to follow-up. Erin Murphy signed on to the letter of support today (though it hasn't popped up in the searchable database yet) and had previously posted on Facebook about the need for states to take a lead on climate change. That post can be found here.
In the Facebook post, Murphy shared Three US states rebel against Trump's Paris climate agreement withdrawal, an article in The Verge, and this headnote:
As those in Washington continue to undermine and embarrass our values, we have to keep showing the world who we really are. I have been proud to support initiatives large and small that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and carbon emissions. States are capable of doing much to positively impact our climate, and can provide progressive alternatives.
Minnesota can and should join governors in California, New York, and Washington to reject Trump's decision and uphold the climate agreement.
As we noted in Readers: Where are the other DFL gubernatorial candidates, MN legislators on climate action?, Dayton concurred, David Montgomery reported in the Pioneer Press on June 5:
Gov. Mark Dayton added Minnesota to the alliance of governors committed to reducing carbon emissions despite President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the 2015 Paris climate accord.
Dayton is one of 12 state governors so far in the United States Climate Alliance, whose members commit to reduce carbon emissions significantly by 2025. The alliance was formed after Trump announced last week that he would pull the U.S. out of the international climate change agreement. . . .
Most but not all of the governors in the alliance are Democrats. Part of the group now are the governors of California, New York, Washington, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, as well as the governor of Puerto Rico. . . .
Happy to see Dayton follow Murphy's advice.
While State Auditor Rebecca isn't a state legislator able to sign the statement, her bonafides on supporting climate action are as strong as anyone running. A Daily Kos blogger posted in Michael Mann endorses Rebecca Otto for Minnesota Governor. Good Luck Minnesota, from Michigan!:
One of world's leading climate scientists, Michael Mann endorsed Rebecca Otto for governor of the State of Minnesota, saying:
"Rebecca Otto is a shining example of the kind of integrity and leadership we hope for in our elected leaders but too rarely see: someone who puts their money where their mouth is. I’m proud to support Rebecca Otto for Governor of Minnesota, and urge everyone who is concerned about climate change and clean energy to join me in supporting her.
After studying the evidence, Rebecca and her husband Shawn became national leaders in charting ways for governments to reduce fossil fuel energy use, and in combating industry propaganda campaigns that sow doubt about the billions of points of evidence that all point in the same direction.
As the Minnesota State Auditor, Rebecca issued a nationally award-winning report on how local governments can reduce energy costs dramatically by switching to clean, carbon-free energy sources. Shawn has authored two books on the War on Science, on what the evidence says about climate change, and on how we can combat the disinformation and move forward; he also cofounded the US presidential science debate initiative and was involved in planning the March for Science.
The couple built and live in a solar and wind-powered home and drive electric vehicles. Rebecca wants to make Minnesota a national leader in tackling climate change and creating well-paying new jobs in the clean energy economy, and I’m confident she will achieve her goal with our support. We need her leadership to help move the ball forward globally on this pressing issue." (here)
June 5, 2017, State College, PA—One of the world's leading climate scientists, Dr. Michael E. Mann, is weighing in on the Minnesota governor's race with a resounding endorsement. The creator of the famed "hockey stick" graph says that three-term Minnesota State Auditor Rebecca Otto is the best candidate to succeed outgoing Governor Mark Dayton because of her decades-long focus on addressing climate change on a personal and professional level and her plans to create jobs in the new clean energy economy.
"I'm incredibly honored and humbled by Dr. Mann's endorsement," said Otto. "This is an issue I have worked on personally and professionally for more than two decades." As State Auditor, Otto, a former science teacher, issued a nationally-award-winning report on ways local governments can reduce energy use and carbon emissions. She and her husband Shawn hand-built their solar- and wind-powered home twenty-three years ago. More than ten-thousand people have since toured the Ottos' home, which has many other features, to learn more about green energy.
Otto responded to President Donald Trump's step to remove the United States from the Paris Climate Accord by climbing up onto her rooftop and recording a one-minute video about opportunities in the clean energy economy. Both solar panels and wind generator were in evidence, as were parts of Otto's small farm in May Township.
"The clean energy economy is going to be bigger than the tech boom," Otto said, "and I want to move Minnesota out ahead of the curve, making it the Silicon Valley of clean energy innovation, and building well-paying jobs in R & D, manufacturing, installation and maintenance across our state that can benefit from this rapidly expanding new global economy. By looking at our challenges as opportunities Minnesota can prosper, and as your governor that will always be my guide."
Bluestem regrets not picking up on this one earlier.
Where do the other members of the candidate pool stand? Are they with Liebling, Walz, Murphy and Otto--and the science?
Photo: A deer tick (black-legged tick). National Public Radio's Michaeleen Doucleff reported in Will climate change help ticks and mosquitoes spread disease? that climate change is likely to help spread these ticks, which carry Lyme disease. It may possibly also carry the disease described in Rare tick-triggered meat allergy spreads in northern Minnesota. While we can understand why Republicans might reject science, we're surprised that they're not sticking up for the right of Minnesotans to be able to eat bacon.
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