[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12446-12447]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     FDA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued


                           Climate Disruption

  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, climate disruption is a seminal challenge 
of our generation. It affects everything from our farms to our forests 
to our fishing. We see the impact in disappearing glaciers, melting 
permafrost, shrinking ice sheets, raging forest fires, dying coral 
reefs, migrating animals and insects, and more powerful storms.
  The world is changing right in front of us. It is appropriate to call 
this climate disruption because our climate is broken, and it is 
affecting so many things that we value. In response, communities across 
the globe are transforming their energy economies--from increasing the 
energy efficiency of buildings, vehicles, and appliances to replacing a 
carbon-polluting fossil-fuel-energy economy with a renewable and clean-
energy economy.
  How much do you know about the changes under way? Let's find out. 
Welcome to episode 4 of the Senate Climate Disruption Quiz.
  Here we go. First question: Atmospheric carbon dioxide is at its 
highest level in at least how many years? Is it 88 years? Is it the 
highest level in the last 8,000 years? Is it the highest level in the 
last 800,000 years, or is it the highest level in the last 80 million 
years?
  Think about your answer.
  The correct answer is C, 800,000 years.
  In September 2016, we reached a historic milestone. The carbon 
dioxide readings for the planet reached 400 parts per million. For 
perspective, before the industrial revolution, before we started 
burning fossil fuels in massive quantities, that number was about 280 
parts per million.
  Here is something that is even scarier. The rate is going up faster 
and faster. In 1965 and 1975, it was going up at about 1 part per 
million per year. Then, a couple of decades later, it was 2 parts per 
million per year, and the last 2 years, it has gone up at a rate of 3 
parts per million per year.
  As the human civilization, we have to turn this around. We have to 
not only slow it down, but we have to turn it around and lower those 
levels of carbon dioxide if we are going to save our blue-green planet.
  Question No. 2, which Governor announced that he or she will hold a 
global climate summit here in America next year?
  Is the answer Jerry Brown? Is the answer Governor Rick Snyder of 
Michigan, Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico, or Governor Rick 
Scott of Florida?

[[Page 12447]]

  The answer--now that you have decided which one you think is right--
is A, Governor Jerry Brown of California. He announced on July 6 that 
he will bring together entrepreneurs, mathematicians, professors, 
climate experts, and others from around the world in September 2018 for 
a summit to ``combat the existential threat of climate change.''
  This meeting is being viewed as a very significant undertaking to 
keep the conversation going forward, because in the absence of the 
United States being deeply involved in the Paris Agreement, the United 
States has to be involved in many other ways. This issue is too big, 
and the challenge is too great for us to be sitting it out.
  Let's turn to question No. 3. The world's first floating wind farm is 
being constructed off the coast of which country? Is it Germany? Is it 
off the coast of the United States? Is it Scotland? Or is it France?
  I might point out that, when we see a floating wind farm, we are 
talking about a wind farm in which the sea floor is deep enough that it 
can't be anchored; that is, the turbine cannot be anchored on the sea 
floor. There is a hint, a little clue.
  Do you have your answer?
  The correct answer is C, Scotland.
  The Peterhead wind farm, off the coast of Scotland, is using 
revolutionary technology to harvest wind power in waters that are too 
deep for wind turbines to be anchored on the seabed.
  The wind farm's first turbine was just towed into place. Once 
finished, it will include five 6-megawatt turbines. By the way, those 
are much larger turbines than the ones we have on land in the United 
States. The blades will be 246 feet long. Together, the group of 
turbines will be able to power 20,000 homes by the end of the 
installation.
  Maybe we will see some of those appearing off the coast of the United 
States in the future.
  Let's turn to question No. 4. Glacier National Park in 1910 had 150 
glaciers. How many are there today? Are there 200? Are there 150? Are 
there 25? Or are there 10?
  What is the answer?
  The answer is C, 25.
  Here we are in just a century, and we have gone from 150 glaciers in 
Glacier National Park to only 25 left. According to Dan Fagre, a USGS 
research ecologist, ``within 20 years, the bulk of the remaining 
glaciers will be too small to be considered active glaciers.''
  When these glaciers are gone, it will have a significant impact on 
Montana and its economy. They typically put off a significant amount of 
water in late August and early September. They feed streams that would 
otherwise dry up. They provide cool water that plays a critical role in 
the life cycles of both insects and fish. If you are planning to see 
the glaciers in Glacier National Park, go soon.
  Let's turn to question No. 5. Tesla, the electric car company, is set 
to install the world's largest grid-scale battery in which country? Are 
they going to install that battery in China, in Australia, in Mexico, 
or in Spain?
  If you had time to ponder the question and develop your answer, the 
answer is not China, which you might expect because China is so large 
and is so engaged in renewable energy today, nor is it Mexico or Spain. 
It is Australia.
  Australia has embraced renewable energy. In 2016, renewable sources 
produced more than 17 percent of the country's electricity. South 
Australia has raced ahead of the rest of the country in embracing 
renewables, particularly wind power.
  Until now, it has not been able to adequately store the energy 
generated by the region's wind farms. Later this year, Tesla will 
install the world's largest lithium-ion grid-scale battery and pair it 
with one of the wind farms, in a major leap forward for large-scale 
renewable energy use.
  The idea is that the 129-megawatt-hour battery, which is capable of 
putting out 100 megawatts of power at a time, will help stabilize South 
Australia's electrical grid and provide backup power if there is a 
shortfall.
  More and more, as we have wind on the grid and as we have solar power 
on the grid, batteries are being turned to as a strategy to even out 
the flow of electricity.
  There you have it, folks. Five questions in episode 4 of the Senate 
Climate Disruption Quiz. They are questions ripped right from the 
headlines. Facts on the ground are changing fast, as climate disruption 
increases and communities across the globe are responding. We are 
racing the clock. There is no time to spare.
  Stay engaged in the fight to save our beautiful blue-green planet. In 
the near future, I will bring you episode 5 of the Senate Climate 
Disruption Quiz.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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