By Mark Reynolds and Jon Clark, Citizens' Climate Lobby

As impeachment proceedings ratchet up the partisan tension in Washington, there’s still hope that progress can be made on the pressing problems of the day. It appears Republicans and Democrats are coming together on one issue that seemed intractable not long ago: climate change.

In the Senate, Republican Mike Braun of Indiana is teaming up with Delaware Democrat Chris Coons to form the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. In a jointly written op-ed, the two senators said, “We recognize the simple reality that climate policy is too serious to ram through Congress on a partisan basis. Republicans and Democrats have to work together, compromise, and find common ground.”

The Senate group complements the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the House that was established in 2016. It became a judgment-free zone where members of both parties could come together for serious discussions about solving climate change. Today, there are myriad bipartisan climate bills in the House, thanks in no small part to the collaborative atmosphere the caucus created.
A bipartisan approach to solving climate change is essential, because passing legislation through our divided Congress will require buy-in from both sides of the aisle. Regardless of which party controls the Senate and the White House after future elections, political winds can always shift, and policies with broad support will withstand those shifts.

Republicans and Democrats are seeking common ground on climate change because public opinion on the issue has reached a tipping point that cannot be ignored. A CBS News poll last month found that two-thirds of Americans view climate change as a crisis or serious problem, and a majority want immediate action.

Overwhelming majorities of younger GOP voters regard climate change as a serious threat, too: 77 percent of them said so in a survey by Ipsos and Newsy this fall.

It’s not just polling motivating Congress — it’s citizens. Volunteers with Citizens’ Climate Lobby are carrying a clear message to their representatives: “Make climate a bridge issue, not a wedge issue.” CCL volunteers have held 1,131 meetings with congressional offices so far this year to bring the parties together on climate change. That message is amplified with thousands of constituent letters and phone calls.

Read the full piece here.