Georgia Power

Front end loaders are dwarfed by the coal field at Georgia Power's Plant Scherer.

Credit: Georgia Power

The panel:

Greg Bluestein, @bluestein, political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Marilyn Brown, @Marilyn_Brown1,  professor of sustainable systems, Georgia Tech & co-founder, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance

Dr. Marshall Shepherd, @DrShepherd2013, director, atmospheric sciences program, University of Georgia

 

The breakdown: 

1. Where does climate change stand globally? 

  • NASA lists several concerns regarding climate change: 

    • It lists the sea level as having risen 4 inches since 1994. 
    • We've lost 427 billion metric tons of ice sheets since 2002.

Dr. Marshall Shepherd talks about how climate change affects all of Georgia.

2. Was Hurricane Michael a wake-up call for inland communities in Georgia? 

  • Dr. Marshall Shepherd says we're seeing more effects of hurricanes coming inland, which can affect prices for daily goods in Georgia. 

Dr. Marshall Shepherd on how Hurricane Michael was a wake-up call.

3. What can politicians do to stop further effects of climate change? 

  • Shepherd says the Rivian plant and other big EV projects are a step in the right direction. 
  • Dr. Marilyn Brown says Georgia can meet the climate reduction agreement laid out in the Paris Accords. 
  • Shepherd adds that Black, brown and poor communities could bear the brunt of climate change in Georgia.

 

4. How does the Supreme Court's ruling on the EPA affect climate change going forward?

  • The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a major blow to the Environmental Protection Agency's power to regulate carbon emissions.

Marilyn Brown on the Supreme Court's ruling about the EPA's authority.

5. Georgia Power is moving to a nuclear power plant. But...

  • The company's Plant Vogtle expansion has encountered multiple delays and cost overruns going back to 2009.

    • It was originally expected to cost $14 billion, the project’s price tag has more than doubled.

 

6. What can Georgians do to help climate change?

  • Brown recommends installing solar panels.
  • Drive electrics vehicles.
    • Consuming electricity in the evening, not the afternoon. 
  • Let the electric company control your water. 

Marilyn Brown on what everyday Georgians can do to help climate change.

Thursday on Political Rewind: GPB News' Riley Bunch and Donna Lowry join the show. 

Tags: climate  Marshall Shepherd  Rivian  Greg Bluestein  Political Rewind  Bill Nigut  climate change  hot car  Politics  EPA