Hurricane Ida has demonstrated that climate investments are needed immediately to counter more frequent and extreme weather events resulting from global warming.
The devastating impacts of climate change have been on full display here in Delaware in recent months. The remnants of Hurricane Ida caused historic flooding, as parts of Delaware received 5 inches of rain in one day. In Wilmington, the severe flooding stranded more than 200 people after the Brandywine River reached record levels, swamping roads, bridges and homes.
Climate change is making extreme weather events like Ida more frequent and severe, and communities across Delaware are paying the price. From 2010-20, Delaware experienced 10 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $2 billion in damages. We must act now to address the climate crisis, and the “Build Back Better” Act (BBBA) currently before the U.S. Congress would make the bold climate investments we need to address extreme weather and support our nation’s transition to clean energy.
Hotter summers have severe consequences, causing agricultural losses, loss of income for outdoor workers, increased energy costs and poorer air quality that impacts public health. By 2050, the typical number of heat wave days in Delaware is projected to increase to nearly 50 per year. This is particularly problematic for our urban communities like Wilmington. Urban “heat islands,” where concrete traps heat, make temperatures in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods even hotter than surrounding areas are. These heat islands put more people at risk in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and lightning combined.
Warmer air and rising seas are also leading to increased flooding in Delaware and across the Eastern seaboard. Currently, there are nearly 29,000 Delawareans living in areas at elevated risk of inland flooding. As these intense floods continues to increase, costs will go up, communities will be devastated, crops will be destroyed, and fields will go unplanted.
We know that climate change is making these extreme weather events worse, and we also know that the link between human activity and the climate crisis is undeniable. Fortunately, we have an opportunity now to make bold investments that will equip Delaware and the rest of the country with the tools needed to combat the impacts of climate change, while improving our economy.
BBBA would make the investments necessary to fight the climate crisis threatening our health, economy and environment, prioritize environmental justice and accelerate the transition to a clean-energy future. Reducing carbon pollution can make extreme weather events less frequent and severe, and upgrading our infrastructure can make cities less vulnerable to flooding caused by heavy downpours accelerated by climate change.
Transitioning to clean energy not only protects public health and mitigates damage from extreme weather, but it also creates economic opportunities for families throughout Delaware. As of 2019, there were nearly 14,000 Delawareans working in clean energy, and bold investments will create more of these family-sustaining jobs. They will also provide a boost to Delaware’s manufacturing sector, which employs 28,000 workers.
We need our congressional leaders to work toward creating a cleaner, more prosperous future, and they have that opportunity today. I appreciate the support of Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., for BBBA, and I urge him and the rest of Delaware’s congressional delegation to continue fighting for investments to cut pollution, create jobs, address environmental injustice and tackle the climate crisis.
Rep. John Kowalko, a Democrat, represents Newark in the Delaware House of Representatives.
