Colorado Dem lawmakers tackle climate change without a single GOP backer

A climate change bill that would gradually reduce Colorado’s carbon emissions over the next 30 years is headed to the governor’s desk for approval — without a single Republican vote. Even as the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns of irreversible and long-term impacts if emissions are not aggressively curbed, Republican lawmakers in Colorado’s Senate Wednesday questioned the scientific consensus, the impact of Colorado’s action on a global challenge and the economics of transitioning from fossil fuels. “There is no consensus — no consensus whatsoever — on CO2 climate change or man-made climate change,” said Sen. Vicki Marble, a Republican from Fort Collins.“It’s natural,” said Sen. John Cooke, a Republican from Greeley. “Pretty soon we’re gonna have global cooling. Because that’s what the Earth does.”In 2018, the oil and gas industry, including companies such as Noble Energy Inc., Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Extraction Oil and Gas, spent $1.5 million on political committees that help elect Republicans to the state Senate and House, according to a Colorado Independent analysis of data from the Colorado secretary of state. Oil and gas businesses spent another $20,000 directly on candidates for office. That spending came on top of $40 million spent fighting a ballot measure to increase drilling setbacks.House Bill 1261, which passed the Senate Wednesday on a party-line vote and the House in April, also along party lines, now goes to Gov. Jared Polis for his signature. Though he has not stated his position on the final bill, he is expected to sign it.The bill sets the state on course to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which includes CO2 and methane, 50 percent by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050, both compared to 2005 levels. These emissions targets are still short of what some scientists say is needed to avoid long-term and irreversible impacts of climate change if implemented globally. Global CO2 emissions must be reduced to zero by 2050 or sooner to keep temperatures within 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the IPCC.