News
Trump’s Former Head of the EPA Has Been a Quiet Contributor to Virginia’s Exit From RGGI
Gov. Glenn Youngkin caused an uproar picking Andrew Wheeler as his natural resources secretary. Senate Democrats blocked Wheeler’s nomination, but now he oversees regulatory efforts and remains involved in environmental policy.
By Jake Bolster
In the days after Republican Glenn Youngkin took office as Virginia’s governor, he issued a series of sprawling executive orders, some of which caused a stir in the media for their partisan nature.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
State of Play
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”