Sen. Lisa Murkowski barely talked about climate change in her annual speech to the Alaska Legislature today.
In response to a question from Bethel Rep. Bob Herron, Murkowski mentioned that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are planning to visit the state later this year, and she hopes they don’t focus exclusively on climate.
“I believe we are seeing changing climate in our state,” Murkowski said. “And we know, you go out to Kivalina, you see the erosion. We see the impacts. But when we talk about the Arctic, when we talk about the issues that we face as a state, it’s more than just climate.”
Meanwhile, outside the Capitol, a small crowd rallied to bring attention to climate change and to demand more action on the issue from Murkowski. About 25 people gathered on the sidewalk across the street, waving signs saying “We need leadership” and “Budget crisis, Climate crisis.”
Rally organizer Danielle Redmond says Lisa Murkowski’s recent votes for the Keystone XL pipeline and against stricter Environmental Protection Agency emissions regulations show she doesn’t take climate change seriously.
“What we have are politicians who are beholden to the fossil fuel industry for campaign contributions,” said Redmond, who works for the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and recently helped start the Alaska Climate Action Network, or Alaska CAN.
“What we need are leaders who will craft policy for a vibrant future,” Redmond added.
Now that Murkowski chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Redmond says she’s in good position to help the U.S. curb emissions. She says it’s important to Alaska’s future that oil production not be the primary driver of the state’s economy.
“Alaska is facing a $3.5 billion budget deficit,” she said. “It’s clear that it’s time to have some very serious, if uncomfortable, conversations about the future of Alaska and our relationship with the fossil fuel industries.”
June Degnan lives in Juneau, but is Yupik and her family roots are in Unalakleet. She says climate change is being felt especially hard in rural communities.
“You can see it in rural Alaska, you can see it in the circumpolar regions of the world that the water levels are rising,” she said.
Degnan says Murkowski needs to acknowledge that climate change is real and begin to do something about it.
“She needs to get with the program to see and look at the scientific aspect of it and the boots on the ground aspect of it and what’s happening,” Degnan said.
Scientists almost universally agree that humans are the primary cause of climate change.
Talking to reporters after her speech to the legislature, Murkowski reiterated that there’s no doubt climate change is real. But she took a more ambiguous stance on the cause.
“It’s not my position to argue how much human beings contribute to it,” she said.
The senator says humans have a responsibility to address the impact emissions have on climate, but it doesn’t make sense to put in place policies that will ruin the economy.
Back at the rally, protesters dropped pennies into a glass jar to symbolize giving their two cents on the cause of climate change.
Redmond says she did not ask for a meeting with Murkowski, who didn’t make an appearance, but she’s happy with the turnout. She says awareness about climate change is growing in Alaska.
“We’re on the front lines, we feel the impacts, but making change is really daunting,” she said.
Redmond thinks as the movement continues to grow, politicians like Murkowski will begin to take notice.
