Last week, US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) decided not to pursue federal climate change legislation, and I’ve been stewing quite a bit.  (FULL DISCLOSURE: I believe climate change presents a serious problem for the US and the rest of the world, and that the solutions to this problem will yield more benefits than penalties.)   The inability to produce a piece of legislation in the Senate is frustrating on several levels, and this failure has been dissected elsewhere.  The endless spin, fear-mongering, and other shameless behavior is a problem for Democrats and Republicans alike, and the world will suffer for this stagnation.

Is there a silver lining to our cloudy future for climate legislation?

Calling it quits isn’t really an option if you believe climate change is a real threat, so let’s remember a few things that are going right.  It’s going to take a lot of hard work and citizen action to keep this issue on Congress’ radar, and these thoughts might help you keep your chin up as you move forward:

1. “It’s not like these problems appeared all of a sudden.”  Our CEO at ClearSky made this comment to me the other day, while talking about the struggles with a community forestry project in Cambodia.  It’s a great point, and it’s applicable to this issue as well.  Politicians have been bickering since the days of the Whig party.  This doesn’t absolve Congress or reinforce the status quo – but remember that we’ve made a lot of progress over the past few years, albeit too slowly, and this momentum can continue to build.
2. The EPA is moving quickly on climate change regulation, and Obama has pledged to protect their authority.  EPA regulation will be more direct than federal legislation, and without the giveaways to corporate interests.  The pressure on Congress to act will grow as regulation takes shape, and this might finally be the cattle prod that forces them to act seriously.  
3. Your Senators are coming home in a few days.  The August recess will be here soon, so go tell them you want some real action!