WASHINGTON — Utah Rep. John Curtis, a former Provo mayor who says he’s tired of hearing that Republicans — his party colleagues — don’t care about climate change or slowing global warming, has formed the Conservative Climate Caucus, an all-GOP group aimed at educating fellow Republicans on climate change and advancing market-based policies to counter the Green New Deal and other Democratic proposals.
Curtis, who has served in Congress since 2017, said Republicans can push for serious climate solutions while holding fast to conservative values.
“Those who watch this caucus will see Republicans do care about this Earth — deeply,” Curtis said at a news conference Wednesday. “There is a way to lower emissions without sacrificing American jobs and principles. And I believe Republicans are the ones to lead on this.” So far, 56 Republicans — a quarter of the GOP caucus — had joined the climate group as of Wednesday, including Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, the top Republican on the House Select Committee on Climate; Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the top Republican on Energy and Commerce; and Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman, top Republican on Natural Resources.
Leading Republicans, most notably former President Donald Trump, have mocked climate change as a hoax and downplayed the effects of warming temperatures caused by fossil fuel emissions. Trump withdrew the United States from the global Paris climate accord, and his Environmental Protection Agency refused to update a website highlighting evidence of climate change in the United States.
None of the top three GOP leaders in the House belongs to the climate group, although House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California has pledged to form a GOP task force on energy and climate issues.
Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida, the Democratic chair of the full House climate panel, said she hopes Republicans are serious about addressing climate change and are not just trying to score political points.
“There is no more time for half measures,” Castor said. “If my Republican colleagues really want to do something, they need to start voting in favor of real solutions.”