So, because Virginia is a Republican-run state, we don’t have to worry about climate change and all its impacts, right?
Um, no, that’s not how it works. As a matter of fact, as PBS’s Need to Know program shows in a new video, Norfolk is directly in the cross-hairs of climate change. Per Mother Jones:
The city of Norfolk, Va., is getting an early look at what sea-level rise means for a big coastal community. The city is experiencing sea-level rise earlier than most because not only are the seas around the city going up, but much of the land beneath Norfolk is going down.
PBS talks to Mayor Paul Fraim and: “In what may be a first for an American mayor, Fraim tells Need to Know that if sea-level rise continues, some parts of his city may have to be abandoned to the rising tide.” Youch.
Reality’s knocking on our door, folks. We can raise our denial to the point of subpoenaing and harassing climate scientists — but it won’t stop the temperature, or the oceans, from rising. It’s time to accept and face the reality of global warming and tackle the problem through activism, policy and action.
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