This is not an article about a Zombie Movie or the latest video game to purchase for the kids during Christmas or Hanukah.
2004 Democratic Presidential Nominee-former Secretary of State-former Senator John Kerry and former California Governor-current Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger have helped to assemble a bipartisan who’s who coalition of scientists, politicians, military leaders, and celebrities, to form a combat climate change and pollution organization called World War Zero.
Speaking on the 12/1/19 broadcast of Meet the Press, Kerry and Schwarzenegger said that climate change “needs to be treated like a war” and this new group would do whatever is needed to bring this issue to the forefront.
While acknowledging there are a variety of plans and ideas that can get to zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, both men cited California as a model state that enacted strong environmental protections while having the fifth largest economy in the world.
Schwarzenegger mentioned that there now more “solar jobs in Bakersfield than oil ones.”
Kerry stated that the “fastest-growing job is solar power technician. The second is wind power technician” and fighting climate change is about “reducing pollution, creating jobs, improving health (like asthma), and improving American security.”
Schwarzenegger went a little further stating that ““we have to convince the whole world and talk about fighting pollution which means more than fighting climate change and think about now with regards to health.”
Both men welcome the opportunity to go to potential climate change-science denying areas like West Virginia and tell the people there about the choices and opportunities they have to transition from coal to clean energy.
World War Zero is not the only action with regard to combatting climate change in the United States.
The House of Representatives is putting forth legislation called the 100 % Clean Economy Act of 2019 to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.
Unfortunately, the political divide has been noticeable in the House. Looking to Arizona as an example, all the Democratic Representatives have shown full or partial support for the Clean Economy measure while none of the Republicans have voiced enthusiasm for the science of climate change or the potential of shifting to a clean energy economy.
The countries mayors are also taking a stand to combat climate change and pollution.
Again, looking to Arizona as an example, Phoenix and Tucson Mayors Kate Gallego and Regina Romero signed a letter together urging Arizona’s Representatives to back House legislation to stay in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, former Phoenix Mayor (and now Congressional District Eight Representative) Greg Stanton, former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, and Bisbee Mayor David Smith had already signaled their support for remaining in the agreement with over 400 more of the Nations Mayors.
There are many plans to combat climate change or fight pollution. Progressives have offered blueprints like the Green New Deal. Conservatives like Senator Lamar Alexander’s have called for A New Manhattan Project for Clean Energy. There are also the various plans from current and former 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates.
All these plans have components that merit consideration. All of them share the same goal to do away with pollution, check the rise of high temperatures, shift to a clean energy economy with high paying jobs, and ensure that the planet’s waters, terrain, and air are safe and clean for all humanity.
It is time, like Secretary Kerry and Governor Schwarzenegger said on Meet the Press, for all sides to come together and forge regional common-sense solutions that save the planet.
Remember there is no Planet B.
https://blogforarizona.net/kerry-and-schwarzenegger-launch-world-war-zero/
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