Benji Backer

Wind turbines are seen in the Spanish Fork Wind Park in Spanish Fork.

Opinion

Perspective: How Utah can be a conservative leader in the new energy era

Leadership on climate action means “disagreeing better” and coming together to have tough conversations.

By Benji Backer and Sarah Wright

Perspective

The Republican presidential field is the most climate-friendly to date

The GOP is no longer the party of climate denial. Its candidates should make that clear to young voters.

By Benji Backer

United States’ Jessie Diggins competes during the women’s 10km classic cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, China.

Perspective

Winters are changing. It’s time to work together on climate change

Having as many voices at the table as possible is crucial in developing an effective climate strategy.

By Benji Backer and Jessie Diggins

Perspective

Perspective: Congress should embrace a bipartisan approach to the environment

A dinner with GOP and Dem lawmakers — including Utah Rep. John Curtis — showed it can be done.

By Benji Backer

Perspective

Perspective: ‘Just Stop Oil’ isn’t a climate strategy

If we want to tackle climate change, we need more than cans of soup and a bad slogan.

By Benji Backer

Special mounted solar panels are installed over a biological apple fruit tree plantation at an Agrivoltaics research project in Gelsdorf, western Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.

Perspective

What does bad energy policy look like? Look at California and Germany

Renewables will play an important role in our energy future, but this won’t happen overnight like some politicians demand.

By Benji Backer

A firefighter clears loose brush from around a Sequoia tree in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., in July 2022.

Perspective

How conservatives should view the climate provisions in the inflation act

It’s not a “socialist wish list.” There are initiatives within the bill that conservatives can and should support.

By Benji Backer

Perspective

Is this heat climate change or just weather?

It is time to move beyond the paradigms of alarmism vs. denial when it comes to climate change and extreme weather.

By Benji Backer

Perspective

Republicans are taking action on climate change. Why are Democrats ignoring them?

A smart initiative by House leaders could enable meaningful progress and help the GOP in November.

By Benji Backer

Isai Gutierrez, from BMW of Murray, shows off a BMW i8 plug-in hybrid vehicle outside the Utah Capitol during Clean Energy Business Day at the Legislature in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Perspective

Perspective: Fossil fuels or clean energy? We can, and should, have both

The debate doesn’t have to be fossil fuels or clean energy. For the time being, we can have both

By Benji Backer

Person standing on a landfill full of garbage and burning garbage piles

Perspective

More voters care about gas prices than climate change. But is there a balance?

Most young adults believe we can grow the economy while protecting the environment. Politicians should take note.

By Benji Backer

Opinion

Why electric cars and solar panels won’t solve climate change

Most people living in poverty can’t buy electric cars, but they will embrace affordable measures that make their lives better.

By Benji Backer

An inflatable snowman and candy canes are part of the decorations that adorn houses in Brooklyn’s Dyker Heights neighborhood.

Perspective

A future where we can no longer dream of a white Christmas

Thanks to climate change, a blanket of snow on Christmas morning is an increasingly rare treat. We can reverse it.

By Benji Backer

Demonstrators from Extinction Rebellion placards at a protest during the COP26 Climate Change conference in Scotland.

Perspective

Both Democrats, Republicans get these 5 climate change facts wrong

Is it too late to solve climate change? No, and pretending it is hurts more than it helps.

By Benji Backer

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of Calif., left, listens to Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, of N.Y., on Capitol Hill.

Perspective

When Congress lumps everything together, Americans suffer

While it made for good Twitter comedy, Democrats in Congress took “everything is infrastructure” a bit too seriously.

By Benji Backer

Perspective

The conservative case for environmentalism

We need more conservative people, like many in Utah’s Carbon and Emery counties, to join the conversation about climate change.

By Benji Backer

Opinion

A lesson from Biden’s plan: If everything is infrastructure, nothing is

America needs targeted infrastructure improvements. The $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan is far too broad.

By Benji Backer