Phil Roe is a Climate Change Denier
"Many believe greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to the gradual warming of our planet and changing of our climate. While there are many questions surrounding the science of the issue, it seems to me like we could develop a solution that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions without inflicting catastrophic damage on our economy."VIEW SOURCE
What climate change means for Tennessee
- Flooding during 2010 resulted in a major disaster declaration and required more than $4.2 million in federal assistance for recovery efforts.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 14 counties in 2011 and 42 counties in 2012 as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive heat during those summers.
- In Tennessee, there were close to 6,700 hospital admissions for asthma in 2011, with an average charge of almost $17,500 for each stay.
- Over the past 10 years, weather and climate disasters have cost Tennessee more than $20 billion.
- Sea level rise, dangerous storm surges, and intense hurricanes already pose serious threats to coastal cities in the Southeast, and climate change will intensify these impacts. The Southeast experienced two billion-dollar extreme weather events in 2012. Decreased water availability is very likely to affect the region’s economy as well as its natural systems. By the end of this century, much of the Southeast will experience more than 100 days above 90°F, which in the absence of adaptive actions is expected to lead to more heat-stress related illness and deaths, decreased agricultural production, and negative impacts on fish and wildlife. Warmer temperatures accelerate formation of smog in urban areas, exacerbating respiratory problems such as asthma.