>> THANKS, CHRIS.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>>> I WANT TO BRING IN GOVERNOR
JAY INSLEE, WASHINGTON STATE,
WHO REASONAN A VERY CLIMATE-FOCU
CAMPAIGN.
BEEN DEALING FROM COVID NOW TO
THIS.
GOVERNOR, LET’S START WITH THE
KIND OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND
LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES POST POSED
BY HEAT THIS EXTREME IN YOUR
AREA.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR KEEPING PEOPLE
SAFE, THE GRID, EVERYTHING IN
YOUR STATE.
>> WELL, I THINK SOME PEOPLE
THINK, WELL, JUST STRAP ON A FEW
MORE AIR CONDITIONERS AND WE’LL
BE FINE.
DOESN’T WORK.
OUR GRID SYSTEM IS NOW BEING
SHUT DOWN IN PLACES BECAUSE OF
THE EXCESSIVE HEAT.
I JUST GOT A NOTICE FROM ONE OF
THE UTILITIES IN SPOKANE THAT
8,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CUT OFF
FROM ELECTRICITY.
THE AIR CONDITIONERS AREN’T
DOING THEM GOOD NOW.
THE COOLING CENTERS, WE HAVE
SHARED INFORMATION WITH OUR
CITIZENS WITH HEATSTROKE AND HOW
TO RECOGNIZE IT AND WHAT TO DO
ABOUT IT.
BUT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WE ARE
NOT BUILT FOR THIS HEAT.
CLIMATE CHANGE HAS DROPPED THEA
HEAT BOMB ON THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST.
WE ARE CALLED THE EVERGREEN
STATE FOR A REASON.
IT’S MODERATE.
IT’S COOL.
IT DRIZLES QUITE OFTEN.
WE ARE NOT MEANT FOR THIS.
SO YOU HAVE A WHOLE
INFRASTRUCTURE, A WHOLE ECONOMY,
A WHOLE CULTURE BUILT ON
MODERATE TEMPERATURES.
SO THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE
IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN’T
AVOID THIS.
THEY WORK OUTSIDE.
SOME OF US GET TO WORK INSIDE
WHERE THEY HAVE AIR
CONDITIONERS.
BUT OUR SOCIETY IS BUILT ON OUR
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY,
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND
WORKING OUTSIDE.
WE ARE NOT PREPARED FOR THAT.
RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS
THE HARBINGER OF A FUTURE THAT
IS NOW UPON US, AND I’LL BE
TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT
WEDNESDAY ABOUT OUR FORREST FIRE
THREATS THAT ARE JUST BEGINNING
TO HEAT UP.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE IN AMERICA TODAY
IS OUR ABILITY FOR CONGRESS TO
PASS ROBUST COMPREHENSIVE
AGGRESSIVE CLIMATE CHANGE
LEGISLATION WHICH WON’T HAPPEN
UNLESS WE GET THIS
RECONCILIATION BILL THROUGH.
>> JUST TO STAY ON THIS FOR A
SECOND BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE
TROUT.
HE SHOWED THE DROUGHT MONITOR
MAP.
WE ARE SEEING, AND AGAIN TRINA
WAS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THIS IS JUST JUNE WE ARE SEEING
RECORDS, RIGHT.
WE ARE SEEING INCREDIBLE LEVELS
OF DRYNESS FOR JUNE, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> REALLY, REALLY WORRYING FOR
WHAT IT MEANS AND FOR THE
ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, WEST OF THE
COLORADO RIVER PART OF THE
UNITED STATES, WHICH IS THIS
KIND OF AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT OF,
YOU KNOW, HYDROLOGICAL
ENGINEERING BY THE ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS.
YOU ARE STARING DOWN THE BARREL,
ALL YOU GOVERNORS, OF A VERY
DIFFICULT SITUATION EVEN PAST
THIS HEAT DOME.
>> YEAH.
THIS IS A WHOLE WEST EMERGENCY.
OF COURSE, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE
SOUTHWEST AND THE COLORADO
SYSTEM.
AN HISTORIC ABSENCE OF WATER.
BUT THE CAL AM ATH RIVER BASIN,
PEOPLE WON’T HAVE WATER BECAUSE
OF THE LOW FLOWS.
MY STATE IT IS SO DRY -- I
TALKED TO FRIENDS THE OTHER DAY
THAT MAY LOSE A SUBSTANTIAL PART
OF THEIR CROPS IN SOUTHEASTERN
WASHINGTON.
OUR CHERRY HARVEST IS THREATENED
BEFORE OF THIS HEAT EVEN BEFORE
WE GET TO WATER SHORTAGES.
SO THIS IS A WESTERN UNITED
STATES PROBLEM.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, IF THIS WAS
A ONE-OFF, IF WE WERE GOING TO
GO BACK TO NORMALCY NEXT YEAR,
BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A
PERMANENT EMERGENCY.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO DISTURBING.
OUR ENTIRE WEST IS BUILT ON
IRRIGATION.
AND IF WE DON’T HAVE THAT, WE
DON’T HAVE AN ECONOMY.
OUR AGRICULTURAL BASE IS BASED
ON HAVING MOISTURE IN TOP SAIL,
MUCH LESS THE IRRIGATION
SUPPLIES.