Climate Silence Breaks In Hurricane Sandy's Aftermath

After silence on climate change from both political parties during much of the presidential campaign, a superstorm ravaged the East Coast only days before the election. Although scientists don't directly blame a specific storm on climate change, they do believe it can worsen storms, and they predict extreme weather will become more frequent and intense in the future. Hurricane Sandy got people talking about climate change, with numerous political figures and celebrities raising concerns in the storm?s aftermath.

"It's a longer conversation, but I think part of learning from this is the recognition that climate change is a reality," Governor Cuomo said in the days following Sandy. ?Extreme weather is a reality. It is a reality that we are vulnerable." A hurricane that took over 100 lives in the U.S. alone has sparked a new discussion on the future of our planet, as many fear the consequences if climate silence continues.

Below you can view some recent celebrity comments in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, compiled by climate action group Forecast The Facts.

• Alec Baldwin

  <blockquote>I suppose, at this point, the critical mass has been reached re a need 4 action on climate change.</blockquote> -- <a href="https://twitter.com/ABFalecbaldwin/status/263619523029110785">Twitter quote, 10/31/12</a>

• Bill Clinton

  <blockquote>[Romney] ridiculed the president. Ridiculed the president for his efforts to fight global warming in economically beneficial ways... He said, ?Oh, you?re going to turn back the seas.? In my part of America, we would like it if someone could?ve done that yesterday.</blockquote> -- <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/264917-bill-clinton-citing-sandy-hits-romney-on-climate-change">"Bill Clinton, Citing Sandy, Hits Romney On Climate Change", The Hill, 10/30/12</a>

• Seth Myers

  <blockquote>None of the debates did they mention climate change. And I feel like every six months the worst thing that's ever happened in the world happens weather-wise. And I feel like we're going to look back on this time the way baseball fans in the 90s were like, 'No, nobody's using steroids. We are in the steroid era of storms and yet there are more people in Congress who probably think this is because, like, gays are marrying, than the fact the the world is just dying.</blockquote> -- "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon", 10/30/12

• Al Gore

  <blockquote>Hurricane Sandy is a disturbing sign of things to come. We must heed this warning and act quickly to solve the climate crisis. Dirty energy makes dirty weather. </blockquote> -- <a href="http://blog.algore.com/2012/10/statement_on_hurricane_sandy.html">Statement on Hurricane Sandy, 10/30/12</a>

• Andrew Cuomo

  <blockquote>I think part of learning from this is the recognition that climate change is a reality, extreme weather is a reality, it is a reality that we are vulnerable.</blockquote> -- <a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/10/31/cuomo_climate_change_is_a_reality_we_are_vulnerable/">"Cuomo: 'Climate Change Is A Reality ? We Are Vulnerable'", Salon, 10/31/12</a>

• Roger Ebert

  <blockquote>This might be a good time for Obama to speak on climate change.</blockquote> -- <a href="https://twitter.com/ebertchicago/status/263309646721347584">Twitter status, 10/30/12</a>

• Arianna Huffington

  <blockquote>We badly need bipartisanship and collective effort not just to rebuild our infrastructure and solve problems like the jobs crisis but to address the root causes of what makes storms like this one so increasingly powerful and increasingly common. But our election season is drawing to a close without any serious discussion about climate change.</blockquote> -- <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/hurricane-sandy-downgraded-election_b_2044095.html">"How Hurricane Sandy Downgraded The Election And Upgraded Our Barn-Raising Spirit", The Huffington Post, 10/30/12</a>

• David Letterman

  <blockquote>In four and one-half hours of presidential debate, I don?t think global warming came up at all. That bothers me because I?ve got an 8-year-old son. What?s the world going to be like when he?s 65 years old?</blockquote> -- <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/15976797-474/editorial-theres-no-debate-on-global-warming.html">"There?s No Debate On Global Warming", Chicago Sun Times, 10/29/12</a>

• Rachel Maddow

  <blockquote>We`ve known this disaster was coming. For the one in five Americans who live somewhere on an American coast near the sea, weird weather and rising seas have been almost a scheduled nightmare. We knew this was coming. </blockquote>-- <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49661281/ns/msnbc-rachel_maddow_show/#.UJgvomnuXDU">"The Rachel Maddow Show", 11/1/2012</a>

• Chuck Todd

  <blockquote>Let's not bury our heads in the sand when it comes to -- something has changed in the Atlantic. The climate has changed. It's called climate change, folks.</blockquote> -- <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/31/chuck-todd-climate-change_n_2053405.html">"Chuck Todd On Hurricane Sandy: 'It's Called Climate Change'", The Huffington Post, 10/31/2012</a>

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/hurricane-sandy-climate-change-politicians_n_2080324.html

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