House GOP form group to combat climate change

WASHINGTON — Utah Rep. John Curtis says he’s tired of hearing that Republicans — his party colleagues — don’t care about climate change or slowing global warming.

A former Provo mayor who has served in Congress since 2017, Curtis says Republicans can push for serious climate solutions while holding fast to conservative values. To prove the point, he 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.

“Those who watch this caucus will see Republicans do care about this Earth — deeply,’’ Curtis said at a news conference Wednesday.

“We, too, want to leave this Earth better than we found it. We don’t need to kill the U.S. economy to reach our climate goals. In fact, it’s just the opposite. There is a way to lower emissions without sacrificing American jobs and principles. And I believe Republicans are the ones to lead on this.’’

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, including rising temperatures, increased ocean acidity and more severe droughts and wildfires.

Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan, another caucus member, said it’s long past time for Republicans to acknowledge the reality of climate change and put forward solutions that reduce carbon emissions while remaining “aligned with our business community.’’

Climate caucus members “are not going to be bringing snowballs onto the House floor,’’ Meijer said. “We’re bringing solutions. We’re not using this as a cheap talking point.’’