REP Seeks to Re-frame Climate Debate

December 10, 2007

Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), announces the launch of a major South Carolina initiative to re-frame the climate change debate by showing that traditional conservative values require conservatives to address climate change.

The kickoff of this effort is the release of REP’s groundbreaking global warming publication, “Good Stewards: A Conservative Citizen’s Guide to Climate Change.”

“For too long, conservatives have been misled by media personalities and others who peddle a false doctrine that ignores the stewardship ethic inherent in traditional conservative thought,” REP Government Affairs Director David Jenkins said. “These pretend conservatives are essentially pushing a liberal ’if it feels go do it‘ philosophy similar to what we saw in the 1960s.”

“Traditional conservatism is infused with a moral responsibility to take care of our God-given inheritance on behalf of future generations,” Jenkins added.

“Conservatives can and must lead on climate change. The issue is too important to be dominated by Al Gore, ceded to liberals, or distorted by talk show hosts who don’t understand the first thing about true conservatism,” REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso said.

“Good Stewards” shows why conservative leadership is essential to combating climate change and explains that environmental stewardship has been a core conservative value since the days of Edmund Burke, the British statesman widely regarded as the founder of modern conservatism.

Unfortunately, environmental concerns have been polarized. Liberals think they own environmental issues, and pseudo-conservative pundits and talk-show hosts have spread distortions about conservative ideals.

“Despite all of the polarizing distortions, many South Carolina conservatives have risen above this. Leading conservatives throughout the state, from the governor to town mayors, understand the urgency of the climate change threat to our economy, security, and quality of life. Recent polls show that a majority of conservative voters in South Carolina accept climate change science, and believe that reducing carbon pollution will help create jobs and reduce oil dependence,” DiPeso said.

REP is convinced that the forward-thinking conservatives of South Carolina can help elevate conservatism’s stewardship ethic nationwide and move the climate debate away from partisan polarization.

“We want to arm conservatives with the knowledge to challenge those who, in the name of conservatism, oppose common-sense efforts to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Jenkins said. “Conservative ideas about personal responsibility, the power of markets, entrepreneurship, energy security, and national defense can guide climate change solutions that reduce carbon pollution without burdening Americans with unnecessary taxes and bureaucracy.”

“Our hope is that ‘Good Stewards’ will help move the climate change debate towards a more productive environment that welcomes conservative ideas for protecting our nation from the climate change threat and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that we enjoy today,” DiPeso said.

“Good Stewards” is a joint project of Republicans for Environmental Protection and its sister organization, ConservAmerica. It will be distributed throughout South Carolina to elected and other government officials, pastors, business leaders, journalists, educators, and many others.

Republicans for Environmental Protection is a national grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the Republican Party’s conservation tradition.

ConservAmerica is a non-partisan organization dedicated to building a conservative constituency for conservation.