Climate Change

Floor Speech

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Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Whitehouse for his commitment to addressing the threats that climate change poses globally, to our country, and to our States. I thank him for highlighting some of those threats to my home State of Wisconsin.

Let there be no doubt that global climate change is real. It is a fact. The question is not whether it is happening, but rather how we are going to address it. Are we going to do all we can to leave the next generation a safer and healthier world?

As my friend from Rhode Island just noted, climate change will be costly to our economy and to our very way of life, and the longer we wait to act, the more costly these impacts will be.

Throughout our history, the State of Wisconsin has been a proud home to environmental leaders who have worked to pass on a stronger environment to future generations--Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and Senator Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day and the namesake for the Nelson Institute at the University of Wisconsin, which my colleague from Rhode Island just mentioned in his remarks. As a representative of our great State, it is one of my top priorities to follow in this legacy and to preserve our natural resources and quality of life for future generations.

It is not hard to see why Wisconsinites have always deeply valued environmental protection. Looking out at the crystal clear waters of Lake Superior from its south shore, or standing atop Rib Mountain gazing at the forests and farmlands of central Wisconsin, to casting your fishing rod in the world-class trout streams of the Driftless region in southwestern Wisconsin, there is no question that we are blessed by the natural beauty of our State.

But even now, the impact of climate change can be seen on each of these landscapes and in the economies they support. We see it in our agriculture--growing seasons are shifting, and extreme weather harms our crops, and we have increasing concerns about drought and our groundwater.

In fact, NASA recently warned that within a few decades--within our lifetimes--the United States may enter a megadrought that could last 30 years.

In my home State, the resulting decreased soil moisture will put additional stress on farmers, on private wells, and on municipal drinking water systems. These prolonged droughts, combined with increased intensity of storm events and changing temperature patterns, will force farmers to make changes to how and what they grow. This is extremely troubling, as agriculture is an $88 billion industry in my home State of Wisconsin.

We also see the negative effects of climate change on our Great Lakes. In Lake Michigan, for example, lake levels are largely driven by precipitation. Changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change may cause more dramatic fluctuations or prolonged changes in lake levels.

In addition, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that summertime surface water temperatures have increased 8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1980. Warmer surface water temperatures disrupt the food chain, which threatens our fish population. As these adverse effects are expected to worsen in the coming decades, they will inevitably lead to more wildlife disease, and warmer waters that will drive out native fish.

Changing water levels also create new challenges for property owners and communities along the Great Lakes. Infrastructure may need to be redesigned, insurance demands may change, and new health risks may emerge or be exacerbated as additional stress is imposed on our sewer systems. Each of these will hurt our local economies.

Tourism is also a major part of Wisconsin's economy, and the Northwoods is a favorite destination to fish, camp, hunt, and snowmobile. But projections show that by midcentury, the climate of areas such as Bayfield and Vilas County in the Northwoods will be more similar to what we have known in the southeastern part of the State of Wisconsin in counties such as Waukesha County.

Meanwhile, Waukesha County's climate could be more similar to what we used to expect hundreds of miles south in the neighboring State of Illinois. The impacts on tourism, recreation, and the landscapes we hold near and dear may be dramatic, and the threats may be daunting. But we cannot continue to let the challenges overwhelm us and cause inaction on our part.

Wisconsin's State motto is ``Forward.'' The people of Wisconsin have never been afraid of the challenges we face or what the future holds. We have a strong progressive tradition of confronting our challenges and working together to shape our future for the next generation.

In fact, analysis by the World Resources Institute in 2013 found that Wisconsin is well positioned to meet national goals for carbon pollution reduction. By extending existing clean energy policies, Wisconsin could reduce its emissions substantially in coming years.

In addition, many of Wisconsin's most successful companies are leaders in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean technology. They are vital sources of innovation and will provide opportunities for the workers of today and tomorrow.

I believe smart investments by government, by companies and institutions, and by citizens will help us confront the challenge of climate change, while positioning Wisconsin for 21st century economic and ecological resiliency.

This opportunity is great. We must meet the challenge head on--going forward the Wisconsin way.

I once again thank Senator Whitehouse for his laser focus on this issue that is so critical to all of our home States, as well as, frankly, the entire global community.

I yield the floor.

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