A non-partisan federal watchdog says climate change is already costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with those costs expected to rise as devastating storms, floods, wildfires and droughts become more frequent in the coming decades.
A Government Accountability Office report released Monday said the federal government has spent more than $350 billion over the last decade on disaster assistance programs and losses from flood and crop insurance. That tally does not include the massive toll from this year’s wildfires and three major hurricanes, expected to be among the most costly in the nation’s history.
The report predicts these costs will only grow in the future, potentially reaching a budget busting $35 billion a year by 2050. The report says the federal government doesn’t effectively plan for these recurring costs, classifying the financial exposure from climate-related costs as “high risk.”
“The federal government has not undertaken strategic government-wide planning to manage climate risks by using information on the potential economic effects of climate change to identify significant risks and craft appropriate federal responses,” the study said. “By using such information, the federal government could take the initial step in establishing government-wide priorities to manage such risks.”
And of course this does not calculate the cost of human life that will also rise exponentially as these devastating weather patterns worsen.
Just imagine for a minute how much less all of this would have cost if thirty years ago people had listened to those wacky climate scientists and started working toward weaning ourselves off fossil fuels, and moving toward renewable energy sources.
We could have literally saved billions and billions of dollars.
But then how would those poor oil companies have made their billions and billions of dollars?
Don't hold your breath for any Republicans in Washington to care about climate change/global warming. They're all too busy propping up their president and planning how they're going to upend the federal tax system in the coming days. Lots more money for the richest Americans - that's all they think about right now. They've already put in enough cuts to the ACA, Medicare and Medicaid in the latest budget to make it seem as if the tax cuts they're dreaming of won't cause the national debt to explode. Who do they think will be able to work to keep them rich once healthcare in this country is completely gutted? Trump and his 21st century GOP are busy gutting everything that has ever mattered in this country.
ReplyDeleteDiplomatically we've become a rogue state in just ten months; our economic collapse will follow soon enough, aided by unrelenting natural disasters that will receive no substantial federal attention. After all, climate change is a "myth."
And on and on. With virtually no affordable healthcare in our future, with an environment that will only get worse because science and truth do not matter to Republicans, with our once excellent public education system fast becoming something of the past, with a national media that is wasting too much time on sexual harassment and not enough time on the deliberate destruction of all that has been good about this country, with a warmongering, ignorant commander-in-chief who refuses to accept responsibility for any of his actions. And every day there's more to add to the list. And Puerto Rico still needs electricity and water. . . . But the very rich will soon become richer. GOP members of Congress will have done their job.
Beaglemom
"with a national media that is wasting too much time on sexual harassment and not enough time on the deliberate destruction of all that has been good about this country, with a warmongering, ignorant commander-in-chief who refuses to accept responsibility for any of his actions." But
DeleteTHAT is NOT a 'Waste of time'>
~IT~ is the CAUSE and EFFECT Results.
Yeah that movie Geostorm sucked don't waste yer time or money. We gotta clean up the republican mess, starting in the wh and again enforce strict regulations on everything everywhere. All water sources cleaned up. Bury All electric. Less garbage from china. Heavy building code in certain areas. No building in others. Demand republican traitors resign-Resist their lies-Revolt the republican party of liars.
ReplyDeleteWealthy PR's must rebuild their land with solar wind and other power. Time to be self sufficient and rebuild for future.
Americans must stand up against taxation without representation. Our tax dollars must cover the basic social needs of every American citizen and the security of Our country. NOT trump foundation nor contracts to his friends to harm and hate americans.
Lab Mom
" The Federal Emergency Management Administration on Friday said it did not approve a multi-million dollar contract between Puerto Rico’s power utility and a small Montana firm to repair storm damage, and has “significant concerns” about the deal.
ReplyDeleteIn a statement, FEMA also said after its initial review it “has not confirmed whether the contract prices are reasonable” under the contract between Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and Whitefish Energy Holdings."
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/27/trump-massive-scandal-fema-approved-whitefish-energy-contract.html
Delete"According to the contract, the government is not allowed to audit or conduct oversight over Whitefish to see how taxpayer money is being spent or where it is going. The energy company is owned by Trump donors who have connections to Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and Trump Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Whitefish only has two full-time employees and it not prepared to handle a contract of this size. Whitefish is going to make a hefty sum off of US taxpayers for hiring subcontractors to do the real work in Puerto Rico."
https://wonkette.com/624906/hire-these-whitefish-energy-grifters-to-write-all-your-contracts-for-ever
Delete"NO AUDIT ALLOWED"
9 BILLION>9,$$$,$$$,$$$.0
ReplyDeleteRemember when...
"In 1950, a Halloween appeal called Trick or Treat for UNICEF was started, to benefit the UN Children’s Agency. Children would bring around collection boxes for people to place donations instead of candy. In 1979 UNICEF Trick or Treat was used to feed Cambodians suffering in famine."
"Barnes noted the American people’s history in “exceeding their government in compassion.” That compassion is needed today to support UNICEF, which is helping feed malnourished children in war-torn Syria and many other countries. This year the donation beneficiaries will include hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico."
" there are four nations (Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and Niger) threatened with famine. Syria, Iraq, Haiti, Mali, Ethiopia and many other nations are also suffering with severe hunger. Relief agencies do not have enough resources to meet the challenge of the worst global hunger emergency since the WWII era."
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/167315
FallOut:
ReplyDelete"The bill follows legislation reintroduced by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in January that would limit the president’s ability to launch a first nuclear strike without a declaration of war from Congress."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/worried-trump-strike-north-korea-043010570.html
I want to say we are a world of addicts. But by that same token, I am complicit in the waste producing as the next person. I try to be conservative in my living but there are times I consume too much and waste by doing dumb things like buying ragu and throwing away the jar. I get too lazy to recycle. I think to myself, oh, I am just one person, and my trash doesn't make a difference. But I know it does.
ReplyDeleteIt is said, that even if we try to make a difference now, that it is too late because we have started a global warming trend that cannot be reversed. I think that is naysaying and if you listen to the optimists like Al Gore who tirelessly advocates for our planet and he says our earth would be better if we put our minds to it. I believe that.
Right now we are gutting our planet and it is fighting back. The cockroach will inherit the earth. We will be a wisp of a presence that once was. Ah well.
"Wednesday’s reversal was a major WIN for science teachers, curriculum experts, and outside advocates, who had angrily protested the education agency’s attempts to politicize the state’s curriculum. “We heard, we responded,”"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/new-mexico-officials-back-down-abandon-effort-to-politicize-science-education-standards/