Record flooding this week in Houston killed eight people, devastated more than a thousand homes, and caused at least $5 billion in damage. And the storms aren't over. Forecasters predict that in coming days rains along the Gulf Coast could create flooding levels that haven't been seen for 500 years. While there's no definitive link between isolated extreme storms and global climate change, scientists agree that a warming planet increases the frequency of intense weather events, as well as rising seas. Some Red State mayors of cities affected by rising seas are now breaking ranks with party leadership and calling for policies to combat global warming. But are extreme weather events enough to budge top Republican leaders from their staunch denial of climate change science?
Record Floods in Red States
More
- PRI's 'The World' on South Florida Republicans being fed up with party leaders on climate change
- National Academy of Sciences' climate change report
- Cason on flooding as an election issue
- Florida mayors' open letter on climate change to presidential candidates Bush, Rubio
- Stanford Political Psychology Research Group on global warming
- PBS' 'Frontline' on politicians, skepticism over climate change
Credits
Guests:
- Mike Morris - Houston Chronicle - @mmorris011
- J. Marshall Shepherd - University of Georgia - @DrShepherd2013
- Jim Cason - City of Coral Gables, Florida
- Jon Krosnick - Stanford University