This week in New York City, I moderated a panel at Climate Week, a global gathering of leaders from government, business, finance, and civil society.
Entitled “When the Mississippi River Runs Low – Why Climate Connects Us All” the discussion centered on the undeniable reality that climate change is shaping our lives every day. We see it whether it’s rivers that run low, forests that burn hotter and faster, or cities where children can’t safely play outside because the playground equipment has become dangerously hot.
This same week, across town at the United Nations, the president of the United States used his address to once again declare climate change “a hoax,” and the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” He railed against reality and renewable energy, dismissed science, and painted global cooperation as a conspiracy against America.
Just because the president calls climate change a hoax, doesn’t make it so. Repeating words like “con” and “scam” does not change the facts. It doesn’t change the extreme heat gripping our cities, the catastrophic floods washing away neighborhoods, or the wildfires scarring our mountains. It doesn’t change the lives lost, the billions in damages, or the instability cascading across our economy. And it certainly doesn’t change the reality the American people are living in.
In New York, I saw and heard from leaders from around the world, taking this challenge seriously. Sitting side-by-side were U.S. Senators and governors, utility CEOs and investment bankers, community banks and farmers, mayors and environmental justice leaders, global corporations and local NGOs – all participating because they recognize two fundamental truths.
First, climate change is an undeniable reality that we can see, measure and feel. Work must be done to mitigate it. It is not a partisan talking point. The mayor of Phoenix told us her son’s school canceled recess because the playground slide was too hot for children to play safely. That’s just one story in a sea of evidence — rising tides, stronger hurricanes, devastating floods and relentless wildfires.
Second, inside of this crisis lies an economic opportunity. The clean energy transition is not just a moral imperative, it is a business case. Economies can be built around clean energy, and communities can thrive. Renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and sustainable infrastructure are already driving job creation and investment across the globe. Countries like China and India understand this, and they are racing ahead. If America chooses denial over action, we cede those opportunities — and the jobs, industries, and influence that come with them — to others.
This is where Colorado matters.
Colorado has long been a leader in renewable energy and climate innovation. A recent analysis by a Colorado media outlet ranked our state among the top in the nation for clean energy development, thanks to policies that prioritize wind, solar, and efficiency. Our universities are pioneering research on battery storage and grid integration. Our utilities are cutting emissions while keeping rates affordable. And across our rural communities, farmers and ranchers are adopting practices that conserve water, reduce carbon, and strengthen local economies.
These successes didn’t happen because Washington handed them to us. They happened because Coloradans–like so many other Americans—saw the risks of climate change and the promise of clean energy, and we acted. Our businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and citizens led the way. We refused to wait for permission.
And that’s the lesson for today.
If the federal government won’t take climate change seriously, we must–and we will. States can continue passing bold policies. Cities can keep innovating. Businesses can invest in renewables and efficiency because it’s good for their bottom line. Individuals can support clean energy and vote for leaders who understand the stakes. Together, we can build momentum from the ground up, no matter who occupies the Oval Office.
Make no mistake: it would be best to haveCongress and the White House invest in infrastructure, set ambitious targets, and lead in global climate negotiations. But the absence of leadership in Washington cannot become an excuse for paralysis. It must become a rallying cry for all of us to step up.
The president may be unwilling to step up, but in Colorado–and in communities across the country—we call it reality. And we call the clean energy transition what it truly is: the greatest economic and moral opportunity of our time.
They say that the Roman Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. But we will not let that happen. Americans are rolling up their sleeves! We are proving that climate action is not just possible–it’s profitable, practical, and profoundly necessary. And if Washington won’t lead, we will lead, in states, counties, cities and towns alike.
Because the stakes are too high. The evidence is too clear.
Bill Ritter is the 41st Governor of Colorado, Chairman of the Board for the Climate Group/North America and a Principal at Freestone Strategies.
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