Edwards reaches global stage on climate change

Gov. John Bel Edwards (Bill Feig/The Advocate via The Associated Press, Pool)

With last week’s trip to an international climate change conference in Scotland, Gov. John Bel Edwards acknowledged the problems of a warming planet while raising his profile on the issue, reports the Associated Press. The Democratic governor has become more strident in talking about the perils of climate change during his second term, primarily through his Climate Initiatives Task Force.

Edwards is trying to balance that discussion while describing the importance of the oil and gas industry to Louisiana. Meanwhile, the types of  clean energy projects the governor’s touting have drawn criticism within the environmental community.

Edwards was among at least six U.S. governors, all Democrats, who attended part of the United Nations climate change conference in Scotland, known as COP26. At least two states led by Republican governors also sent representatives to the event. See the entire story.