Political Quotes

“Climate deniers have buried their heads so deep in the sand they can't hear the Secretary of Defense warning us about the risk of climate change. Last week, Secretary Panetta gave a speech about the impact of climate change on national security. He said, ``The area of climate change has a dramatic impact on national security. Rising sea levels, severe droughts, the melting of the polar caps, and devastating natural disasters all raise demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.'' And he might have added, and threaten military bases, especially naval bases, all around the world. Americans are experiencing that severe weather already, including record-breaking droughts in the South and Southwest and unprecedented tornadic activity in the South and the Midwest. Severe weather manifestations of climate change have a direct impact on our armed services and national security. Secretary Panetta focused on the geopolitical risks of increased flooding, drought, famine, and hurricanes. These troubling events create new demands for humanitarian intervention but can also destabilize political regimes and enable the rise of extreme elements. Congress may be fiddling while Texas and wildfire regions of the mountain west burn, but the armed services are responding aggressively to the threat of climate change. The Navy is leading the effort to boost production of biofuels and to protect the military and taxpayers against rising oil prices.…”