All language subtitles for Years of Living Dangerously S01E05 1080p AMZN WEBRip DD2 0 x264-herkz_track3_[eng]

Bittman:
THIS IS WHAT WE REMEMBER
ABOUT SUPERSTORM SANDY --

THE JERSEY SHORE IN RUINS,

HOMES KNOCKED OFF
THEIR FOUNDATIONS...

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Man: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE
OF NEW JERSEY, CHRIS CHRISTIE!

Bittman:
...AND GOVERNOR CHRISTIE
TAKING CHARGE.

Christie: PEOPLE WANT
TO REBUILD THEIR HOMES.

THEY WANT TO REBUILD
THEIR BUSINESSES.

THEY WANT TO REBUILD
THEIR SCHOOLS.

THEY WANT TO REBUILD
THEIR STATE.

IT IS TIME FOR US
TO TURN THE PAGE

TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET THIS THING

BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

THAT IS MY SOLE FOCUS
FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Bittman: CHRIS CHRISTIE
BECAME AMERICA'S GOVERNOR...

IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

WAS NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR
CHRIS CHRISTIE.

Bittman:
...AND ROSE ABOVE POLITICS.

Christie: I'VE GOT A JOB TO DO
HERE IN NEW JERSEY

THAT'S MUCH BIGGER
THAN PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS,

AND I COULD CARE LESS
ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.

GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

Bittman: GOVERNOR CHRISTIE
WAS WIDELY VIEWED

AS THE SAVIOR OF SANDY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

EVEN NEW YORK REPORTERS
LIKE ME WERE IMPRESSED.

I WRITE MAINLY ABOUT FOOD,
BUT LIVING HERE,

SANDY WAS A STORY
I COULDN'T HELP BUT FOLLOW.

AND AT FIRST, IT SEEMED GREAT

TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE CHRISTIE
IN CHARGE.

BUT ONE THING
CAUGHT MY ATTENTION --

HOW EAGER HE WAS TO TALK
ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE STORM

EXCEPT ONE.

BEN.

DO YOU THINK CLIMATE CHANGE,
RISING SEA LEVELS,

GLOBAL WARMING,
HAD ANYTHING TO DO

WITH THE FOCUSING
ON THIS TOWN AND ELSEWHERE?

MAYBE, IN THE SUBSEQUENT MONTHS
AND YEARS

AFTER I GET DONE
WITH TRYING TO REBUILD THE STATE

AND PUT PEOPLE
BACK IN THEIR HOMES,

I'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PONDER

THE ESOTERIC QUESTION
OF THE CAUSE OF THIS STORM.

RIGHT NOW,
I'M DEALING WITH PEOPLE

WHO ARE OUT OF THEIR HOMES,
OUT OF THEIR BUSINESSES,

BECAUSE OF THIS STORM,

AND, CANDIDLY, I DON'T HAVE TIME
TO DEAL WITH THIS.

MY MAIN CONCERN
IS GETTING THE JOB DONE

THAT THE PEOPLE
HAVE ELECTED ME TO DO.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Bittman: BUT IS CLIMATE CHANGE
REALLY AN ESOTERIC QUESTION,

OR IS CHRISTIE LEAVING HIS STATE

DANGEROUSLY VULNERABLE
TO THE NEXT SANDY?

Man: YOU CAME HERE THIS MORNING
TO WITNESS HISTORY.

WELCOME, EVERYONE,

TO THE INAUGURATION
OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

JAY INSLEE IS THE FIRST
POLITICAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

IN AMERICAN HISTORY

TO BE ELECTED PRINCIPALLY
ON A PLATFORM

OF COMBATING
CLIMATE DISRUPTION.

I, JAY INSLEE...

WHILE LEADERS
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

PONTIFICATE AND PROCRASTINATE,

JAY INSLEE SEES
AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT

THAT TRANSCENDS POLITICS.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn: I'VE NEVER HEARD
OF A POLITICIAN

MAKING CLIMATE CHANGE THEIR
DEFINING ISSUE AND THEN WINNING.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

THIS WE KNOW --

OUR WORLD IS CHANGING FASTER

AND MORE DRAMATICALLY
THAN EVER BEFORE.

AS A PARENT
AND AS A GRANDPARENT,

I CANNOT CONSCIOUSLY ACCEPT
THE DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

FOR MY FAMILY OR YOURS.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn: IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

HAS BEEN STUCK
IN A POLITICAL QUAGMIRE.

ARE THINGS REALLY GOING TO BE
ANY DIFFERENT

IN WASHINGTON STATE?

[ APPLAUSE ]

IF THE REPUBLICANS' RESPONSE
TO HIS SPEECH IS ANY CLUE,

IT LOOKS LIKE THE NEW GOVERNOR
HAS A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD.

Woman: THIS REPORT CONSTITUTES
AN ALARM-CLOCK MOMENT

FOR THE WORLD,

BECAUSE THIS REPORT
WILL TELL US, AGAIN,

THAT EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT
WE KNEW ON CLIMATE CHANGE

HAS ACTUALLY BEEN
UNDERESTIMATED,

THAT THE EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE UPON US

FASTER AND IN A MORE INTENSE
FASHION THAN WE HAD THOUGHT.

President H.W. Bush: WE ALL KNOW
THAT HUMAN ACTIVITIES

ARE CHANGING THE ATMOSPHERE

IN UNEXPECTED
AND IN UNPRECEDENTED WAYS.

Man: ...THAT THE GREENHOUSE
EFFECT HAS BEEN DETECTED,

AND IT IS CHANGING
OUR CLIMATE NOW.

Man #2: THE ATMOSPHERE AND OCEAN
HAVE WARMED.

THE AMOUNT OF SNOW AND ICE
HAVE DIMINISHED.

SEA LEVEL HAS RISEN,

AND THE CONCENTRATIONS
OF GREENHOUSE GASES HAVE...

Schwarzenegger:
THERE IS NO MORE FIRE SEASON.

WE HAVE WILDFIRES
ALL YEAR 'ROUND.

Cuomo: CLIMATE CHANGE,
EXTREME WEATHER --

CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL --
AND OUR VULNERABILITY TO IT.

Man #3:
...WHERE 12 YEARS OF DROUGHT HAS
LEFT THE LANDSCAPE BONE-DRY.

Man #4: WE GOT ANY PATRIOTS
IN THE CROWD?!

Woman #2: A NEW SCIENTIFIC
REPORT HAS DETERMINED

THE LAST DECADE
WAS THE WARMEST ON RECORD.

Man #5:
OUR WORLD IS CHANGING FASTER

AND MORE DRAMATICALLY
THAN EVER BEFORE.

Bittman:
AS SANDY BARRELED UP THE COAST,

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE MADE IT CLEAR
TO EVERYONE

THAT HE WAS IN CHARGE,

THAT HE WOULD LEAD NEW JERSEY

THROUGH WHATEVER BLOW
THE STORM WOULD DELIVER.

Christie: MANDATORY EVACUATIONS
ARE NOW IN EFFECT

AS OF 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON

FOR THE BARRIER ISLANDS
FROM SANDY HOOK

SOUTH TO CAPE MAY.

THE COMBINATION OF THE RAIN,
THE FLOODING, AND THE WINDS

ARE GONNA MAKE THIS A VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT EVENT TO DEAL WITH.

BUT IF YOU'RE PREPARED,

LET ME ASSURE YOU
THAT WE'RE PREPARED,

AND THAT, TOGETHER,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO --

WE'RE GONNA WEATHER
THROUGH THIS.

[ RADIO CHATTER ]

OKAY. GOOD ENOUGH.
THANK YOU.

Man: THESE HOUSES ARE MAYBE
FOUR FOOT HIGHER THAN THE RIVER,

AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
THEY'RE IN THE RIVER.

Christie:
WE'RE AT THE MOMENT NOW

WHERE EVACUATION
IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE,

AND WE'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO COME
AND RESCUE PEOPLE.

Man:
YOU CAN SEE THE SEAWALL HERE.

SEE THE WATER SPRAYING
RIGHT OUT THE SIDE?

YEAH, WE SHOULD GET
OUT OF HERE.

ALL RIGHT, JUST HEAD BACK --
[ THUNDER CRASHES ]

WHOO!

Christie: I STILL DON'T THINK
WE CAN ASSESS

WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN
IN THE NEXT SIX HOURS.

IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS OVER,
OKAY?

WE HAVE THE WORST SIX HOURS
OF THE STORM COMING RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE
IN OUR STATE

WOKE UP TODAY
TO ABSOLUTE DEVASTATION.

Woman:
I GOT NOTHING LEFT.

THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE
WHAT SO MANY NEW JERSEYANS

EXPERIENCED
OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A LONG ROAD
AHEAD OF US,

BUT I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE

WE'RE GOING TO COME
OUT OF THIS

BETTER AND STRONGER
THAN BEFORE.

WE'RE TOUGH.
WE'RE TOUGH.

WE'RE TOUGH FOLKS.
DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL GO THIS WAY.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

Bittman: NO TOWN IN NEW JERSEY
WAS HIT HARDER THAN UNION BEACH.

SANDY'S STORM SURGE PUT ALMOST
THE ENTIRE TOWN UNDERWATER

AND WASHED AWAY 110 HOMES.

OF THE BUILDINGS THAT REMAIN,
HUNDREDS MORE ARE UNINHABITABLE.

LOCAL HOTELS ARE CHOKED
WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

WITH NOWHERE TO GO.

Man: ATTENTION, RESIDENTS --
WE HAVE HOT FOOD, BLANKETS.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
BE SAFE.

YOU TOO, HON.
I GIVE YOU ALL
MY LOVE AND PRAYERS.

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.

Man: HOLY CRAP.

Bittman: AFTER SUCH
AN UNPRECEDENTED STORM,

MANY IN UNION BEACH

ARE WONDERING
IF REBUILDING EVEN MAKES SENSE.

Burlew: AND 6 WILL BE 25.

WE HAVE 2,600 PEOPLE

THAT STILL DON'T HAVE
A PLACE TO LIVE.

SO, WE'RE WORKING 12 HOURS,

AND IF WE HAVE TO WORK
INTO THE NIGHT, WE DO THAT.

[ SIGHS ] NEXT.

Bittman:
TOWN ENGINEER BOBBY BURLEW

IS FACING THE BIGGEST JOB
OF HIS LIFE.

EVER SINCE SANDY HIT
THREE MONTHS AGO,

HE'S BEEN WORKING ALMOST
NONSTOP, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK,

HELPING HIS NEIGHBORS
THROUGH THE AFTERMATH.

I CAN'T KEEP GOING BACK TO
THE LADY, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

MY FATHER HAS GONE DOWNHILL
SINCE THIS HURRICANE.

IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.

HE HAS TO HELP THEM DECIDE --
REBUILD OR MOVE ON.

Burlew: THERE'S
YOUR THREE OPTIONS --

ELEVATE YOUR HOME,
PICK IT UP AND MOVE IT,

OR DO A DEMOLISH.

Burlew:
COACHED FOOTBALL FOR 35 YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY
WHO'S HAVING A PROBLEM,

I EITHER HAD THEM IN SCHOOL
AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER,

COACHING FOOTBALL,
SO EMOTIONALLY, IT'S DIFFICULT.

THAT'S IT.

Burlew: WE'RE GONNA MAKE
A LEFT TURN ONTO BROOK AVENUE.

ALL THE HOMES
IN THIS AREA,

THERE'S ONLY ONE
STILL STANDING.

AND THERE'S NOBODY LIVING
ON THAT STREET, EITHER,

BUT THERE WAS
ALL HOMES HERE.

WOW.

AND HOW MUCH WATER
WAS IN HERE?

AT LEAST 4 FEET.

WOW.

SO UP TO THE TOP OF THE STEPS
OF A LOT OF THESE HOMES.

YEAH, THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON
LIVING HERE.

PRETTY SAD.

AND WE'RE HEADING
DOWN TOWARDS --

I GUESS WE LABELED IT
AS GROUND ZERO.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES SENSE
DOWN IN HERE

WHERE YOU'RE CALLING
GROUND ZERO?

DO YOU THINK IT MAKES SENSE
TO BUILD OR JUST GIVE UP?

I REALLY DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE
ARE GONNA GIVE UP.

BUT IF THERE'S ANOTHER STORM
OR A WORSE STORM?

SAME THING COULD HAPPEN
ALL OVER AGAIN, YEAH?

WELL...

IT COULD CERTAINLY HAPPEN
AGAIN, BUT...

I DON'T KNOW.

[ SNIFFLES ]

I NEED A MOMENT.

YEAH,
YOU'VE SEEN A LOT HERE.

Bittman: BUT GOVERNOR CHRISTIE
IS UNWAVERING IN HIS MESSAGE.

HE SAYS REBUILD NOW.

HE VOWS TO GET PEOPLE
BACK IN THEIR HOMES

AND TO GET THE DEMOLISHED
BOARDWALKS REBUILT

BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.

Christie:
TO LET PEOPLE BOTH IN THE REGION

AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY
WHO COME HERE FOR VACATION KNOW

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Bittman: THE STATE'S $38 BILLION
TOURIST INDUSTRY

HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

Woman: SO YOU'RE JUST GONNA
FOLLOW THE SIDEWALK

ALL THE WAY UP TOP,

AND I'LL MEET YOU IN THERE
TO LET YOU IN.

OH, GREAT. THANKS.
YOU'RE WELCOME.

Munn: I'M HERE TO MEET

WASHINGTON STATE'S NEW GOVERNOR,
JAY INSLEE.

HE'S ALREADY BEING CALLED THE
GREENEST GOVERNOR IN AMERICA.

HE'S ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE
A FEW MONTHS, THOUGH,

SO WHETHER HE'LL LIVE UP TO THAT
REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

JAY.

INSLEE CAMPAIGNED
ON TWO ISSUES --

BOOSTING THE ECONOMY
AND ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND HE SEEMS TO THINK
THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND --

THAT DOING SOMETHING
ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING

WILL CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS
AND CLEAN ENERGY.

HELLO.

HELLO. JAY.
HI. OLIVIA.

HOW ARE YOU?
OLIVIA, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.

HOW THEY TREATING YOU HERE?
THEY ARE VERY NICE HERE.

WHEN I CAME UP,
THE SOUNDS OF WASHINGTON --

BIRDS CHIRPING.

YEAH. AND THOSE ARE
REAL BIRDS, ACTUALLY.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

I THINK THAT YOU PUT IN
AN AUDIO TRACK.

NO, THAT'S CALIFORNIA.
THIS IS WASHINGTON.

WE HAVE REAL BIRDS HERE.

WELL, YOU WANT TO SEE
THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE?

I DO.

INSLEE IS STILL SETTLING IN

TO LIFE
IN THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

HE JUST FINISHED REDECORATING.

THIS IS A PAINTING
BY MY MOM.

OH, WOW.

AND HERE'S ONE OF MOUNT RAINIER
THAT I DID.

OH, WOW. AND YOU HEAR
THAT GEORGE W. IS PAINTING.

DON'T BRING THAT UP.

I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
GUYS EXCHANGE PAINT COLORS,

IF HE CALLS YOU AND HE'S LIKE,
"YOU KNOW, INSLEE,

I FOUND OUT THAT RED AND BLUE
MAKE PURPLE."

SO, THERE'S OUR FAMILY HERE.
WE GOT SOME BIKE RIDERS.

OH, THAT'S NICE.

CONNOR HERE
IS NUMBER-TWO SON.

AND THEN WE GOT JACK, NUMBER-ONE
SON, AND NUMBER-TWO SON.

THIS IS NUMBER-TWO
AND NUMBER-THREE BOYS,

CONNOR AND JOE.

PLEASE TELL ME YOU CALL
THEM THAT -- "NUMBER THREE,
NUMBER TWO!"

YOU CAN TELL THIS GUY IS
OBSESSED WITH THE OUTDOORS --

BIRDWATCHING,
SKIING, BIKE-RIDING.

SO, THIS IS
MY PRIDE AND JOY HERE.

THIS IS MY, UH --
THIS IS MY CINELLI.

SO THIS IS 32 YEARS OLD.

AND THEN I GOT MY NEW LITTLE --
MY CARBON BIKE HERE.

SO THIS IS
A CARBON FRAME.

AND MY NEW SLOGAN IS
CARBON BELONGS

IN OUR BIKE FRAMES,
NOT IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

I LIKE IT.

BUT THAT'S
OUR NEW SLOGAN.

SURGING GREENHOUSE GASES
ARE WORSE THAN PREDICTED.

Munn: BEFORE HE WAS GOVERNOR,

INSLEE WAS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS
FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS,

AND HE WAS OUTSPOKEN
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE NEED REAL SCIENCE,

AND WE NEED US TO HAVE
A CLEAN-ENERGY POLICY.

THANK YOU.

Munn: BUT HE TELLS ME THAT
THAT KIND OF BOLD ACTION

HE HOPED FOR NEVER CAME.

Inslee:
WHEN I WAS IN CONGRESS,

I SERVED
ON THE CLIMATE-CHANGE COMMITTEE.

THIS IS A COMMITTEE
THAT'S DEDICATED

TO FINDING SOLUTIONS
TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, PRETTY MUCH
ALL OF THE REPUBLICANS

ON THE CLIMATE-CHANGE
COMMITTEE

REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE THE SCIENCE
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

LATELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN TAKING A SECOND LOOK

AT THE SO-CALLED SETTLED SCIENCE
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

THERE'S CLEARLY A DISPUTE
ABOUT THE EVIDENCE.

SCIENCE IS APOLITICAL, AND YET
POLITICIANS IN OUR COUNTRY

STARTED TO LOOK THROUGH THIS --
THROUGH A PARTISAN LENS.

YOU KNOW, WHO'S FOR THIS?
IS IT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS?

THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
I WISH IT WAS OTHERWISE.

LIFE WOULD BE EASIER, BUT THIS
IS THE CHALLENGE FOR THE AGES.

THANK YOU.

Munn: WHY DID YOU FEEL
THAT YOU COULD GET MORE DONE

AS A GOVERNOR
THAN IN CONGRESS?

CONGRESS WAS THIS THING

THAT'S KIND OF GLACIATED
AT THE MOMENT,

AND I FELT
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

IS A PLACE WHERE WE COULD
ACTUALLY DO THINGS

ON ENERGY, CLEAN ENERGY,
AND WE'RE DOING THAT.

WE'RE GETTING THAT
STARTED HERE.

PLUS, YOU KNOW, IT'S HOME,
RIGHT?

THIS IS -- THIS IS HOME.

RIGHT.

Munn: BUT LATELY, INSLEE SAYS

HIS HOME STATE
HAS GOTTEN OFF TRACK.

IN 2008,
BEFORE HE WAS GOVERNOR,

THE STATE PASSED A LAW
REQUIRING MAJOR REDUCTIONS

IN GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS
BY 2020.

BUT THEY NEVER PUT A PLAN
IN PLACE

TO ACTUALLY MEET
THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

DO YOU HAVE A COPY
OF THE BILL?
YES.

INSLEE INTENDS TO FIX THAT

WITH WHAT HE CALLS
HIS CLIMATE ACTION BILL.

IT WOULD CREATE
A HIGH-LEVEL WORKGROUP

HEADED BY THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF
TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.

THE ENVIROS ARE MAKING
ONE REQUEST ON THE LANGUAGE,

THE KEY SECTION OF THE LANGUAGE
YOU ASKED US TO WRITE.

THEY SUGGESTED "ENSURE
ACHIEVEMENT OF EMISSION LIMITS."

I THINK THAT'S
PROBABLY BETTER LANGUAGE.

SO, THAT'S GOOD.
IF YOU'RE GOOD
WITH THE BILL,

I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET IT
TO THE CODE ADVISER.

WE'LL START
GENERATING SIGNATURES.

ALL RIGHT.

Munn: BUT THERE'S
STILL ONE BIG OBSTACLE.

THE BILL HAS TO MAKE IT

THROUGH THE
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED SENATE,

WHICH IS WHY INSLEE IS TAKING
SUCH A CAREFUL APPROACH.

HE'S INVITING MEMBERS OF BOTH
PARTIES TO JOIN THE WORKGROUP

AND PUSHING TO FIND
A BIPARTISAN SOLUTION

TO CURBING EMISSIONS.

THE GREAT THINGS
WE'VE DONE IN OUR COUNTRY

HAVE USUALLY BEEN
BIPARTISAN THINGS, ULTIMATELY.

MM-HMM. RIGHT.

AND WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY
FOR REPUBLICANS

TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND
BE LEADERS ON THIS RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED
A BIPARTISAN SOLUTION.

WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER
TO GET THIS JOB DONE.

BUT WHY DO YOU THINK
IT'S SO HARD

TO GET ACTION
ON THIS ISSUE?

I GOT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.
SO, HERE'S TODAY'S OLYMPIAN.

AND THE HEADLINE IS,

"CO2 LEVEL PASSES
FEARED MILESTONE."

"REACHING A CONCENTRATION

NOT SEEN ON THE EARTH
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS."

"FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS."

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE
A HEADLINE LIKE THIS

AND STILL HAVE
POLITICAL RESISTANCE

TO TAKING
MEANINGFUL ACTION?

IT'S ALSO ON PAGE 9.

IT'S THERE. IT'S THERE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE.

I'M NOT GIVING THEM
A PASS.

I'M SAYING THE ISSUE
IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

HOW BIG OF A DEAL IT IS.

BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM
THAT I FACE.

EVEN IF I WENT TO
A LEGISLATIVE HEARING

AND I HELD THIS UP
AND I READ THIS

TO SOME LEGISLATORS
HERE IN MY STATE,

THEIR RESPONSE WOULD BE,

"IT'S JUST WRONG.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT."

WOMAN: WNYC's Bob Hennelly
asked Christie

if the governor was discussing

the increasing severity
of storms

with climate-change scientists.

CHRISTIE:
Now, that's over my head.

Bittman: IN THE MONTHS
AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY,

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE TREATS
CLIMATE CHANGE

AS NOTHING MORE
THAN A DISTRACTION.

WOMAN: When he was pressed,

he maintained he's a lawyer,
not a scientist.

Bittman: BUT IS IT
REALLY SO IRRELEVANT?

JUST 20 MINUTES FROM CHRISTIE'S
OFFICE IN THE STATE HOUSE,

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS HOME

TO SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING
CLIMATE SCIENTISTS.

Bittman: CAN A STORM LIKE SANDY,
OR SANDY IN PARTICULAR,

HAVE BEEN CAUSED
BY CLIMATE CHANGE?

CAN YOU SAY
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS
THAT GO INTO BUILDING A STORM,

PARTICULARLY AN UNUSUAL STORM
LIKE SANDY.

ONE OF THE FACTORS
THAT WE'RE SURE

WAS RELATED TO
AND CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

WAS THE HIGHER SEA LEVEL.

Bittman: PRINCETON'S
MICHAEL OPPENHEIMER

ADVISES NASA
AND THE UNITED NATIONS.

AND BEN STRAUSS IS AN EXPERT

ON SEA-LEVEL RISE
IN THE UNITED STATES.

Oppenheimer: THERE'S NO DOUBT
IN MY MIND THE DAMAGE FROM SANDY

WAS WORSE THAN IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN OTHERWISE

BECAUSE GLOBAL WARMING CAUSED
THE SEA LEVEL TO BE HIGHER,

MADE IT EASIER FOR SANDY TO PUSH
THE WATER FURTHER INLAND.

SO MORE AND MORE HOMES,
MORE AND MORE AREAS

WERE DAMAGED, WERE AFFECTED,
THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN

IF THE SAME STORM CAME BY
50 YEARS AGO.

WARMER SEA-SURFACE
TEMPERATURES

FROM CLIMATE CHANGE
STRENGTHENED SANDY.

THERE'S A REALLY SIMPLE
ANALOGY HERE.

IF YOU PUT A POT OF WATER ON
THE STOVE AND YOU LIGHT A FLAME,

YOU'RE GOING TO GET
A LOT OF TURBULENCE.

THAT'S LIKE HEATING UP
THE OCEAN.

YOU HAVE MORE STORMS,
MORE MOISTURE IN THE AIR,

MORE ENERGY,
AND MORE TURBULENCE.

Bittman:
OVER THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS,

THE OCEAN HAS RISEN OVER A FOOT
ON THE JERSEY SHORE,

MOSTLY BECAUSE
OF MANMADE CLIMATE CHANGE.

WITHOUT THIS INCREASE,

THE WORST FLOODING
FROM A STORM LIKE SANDY

WOULD STILL BE SEVERE,

AND WHEN YOU ADD
THAT EXTRA FOOT,

THE DIFFERENCES
MIGHT SEEM SMALL, AT FIRST,

BUT THESE ARE REAL HOMES
AND REAL PEOPLE.

IN NEW JERSEY ALONE,

SEA-LEVEL RISE PUT AT LEAST

AN ADDITIONAL 25 SQUARE MILES
OF LAND AND 40,000 PEOPLE

INSIDE SANDY'S FOOTPRINT.

AND SCIENTISTS PROJECT THAT,
BY THE END OF THE CENTURY,

THE SEA LEVEL WILL RISE
ANOTHER 2 TO 7 FEET,

WHICH MEANS THAT IN PARTS
OF THE STATE,

EVEN A NORMAL STORM COULD CAUSE
SANDY-LEVEL FLOODING.

Oppenheimer: THERE'S A TENSION
BETWEEN REBUILDING AS LIFE WAS

AND RECOGNIZING THE FUTURE RISK
AND BUILDING IN A WAY

THAT PROTECTS PROPERTY AND
PROTECTS LIVES IN THE FUTURE.

THE REALITY IS THAT WE CAN'T
AND WE SHOULDN'T PUT EVERYTHING

BACK WHERE IT WAS
IN THE WAY IT WAS.

[ HORNS HONK ]

Bittman: BUT AS NEW JERSEY
PREPARES TO SPEND

TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
REBUILDING,

IT SEEMS
LIKE GOVERNOR CHRISTIE

REFUSES TO TAKE ANY OF THIS
INTO ACCOUNT.

[ Ringing ]

MAN:
Governor's press office.

GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS MARK BITTMAN.

I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK
WITH MARIE COMELLA.

WE'RE HOPING TO SET UP

AN INTERVIEW
WITH GOVERNOR CHRISTIE.

She's not
in the office yet.

Um...can I take
a message?

YEAH, I SENT HER
A COUPLE E-MAILS,

SO, UM...SHE CAN FIND THOSE,
I GUESS.

SHOULD I LEAVE
MY PHONE NUMBER?
Sure.

YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S THE HOUSE
THAT WE'RE COMING UP TO.

I'M DOING AN INSPECTION
ON THIS ONE RIGHT NOW.

Bittman:
SIX MONTHS AFTER THE STORM,

CONSTRUCTION IS UNDER WAY
IN UNION BEACH.

HOMES ARE BEING ELEVATED
TO COMPLY

WITH NEW BUILDING STANDARDS
THAT CHRISTIE RUSHED TO ADOPT.

Christie: I CAN'T WAIT
ANOTHER 18 TO 24 MONTHS.

WE'RE GONNA ADOPT THESE NOW
AS THE STATE STANDARDS,

AND PEOPLE CAN THEN BEGIN
TO MAKE THE ECONOMIC DECISION

REGARDING REBUILDING
IMMEDIATELY.

Burlew: GOVERNOR CHRISTIE,
HE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL.

I THINK HE WANTS THE SHORE TO BE
BUILT TODAY COMPLETELY.

HE DOESN'T WANT
TO WAIT 10 YEARS.

Mauriello: WHEN YOU GO
IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS NOW,

HOMES ARE BEING ELEVATED
ALL OVER THE STATE.

THE PROBLEM IS, THOUGH,

IF THE SEA IS ENCROACHING
ON THOSE AREAS,

IT DOESN'T MATTER
IF THE HOME IS ELEVATED.

IT CREATES A FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY AMONG THE RESIDENTS

THAT THINGS ARE BETTER

WHEN, OVER THE LONG TERM,
THEY'RE REALLY NOT BETTER.

Bittman: MARK MAURIELLO
IS A FORMER HEAD

OF NEW JERSEY'S DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

HE'S ALSO AN EXPERT
IN COASTAL PLANNING,

WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

AND HE TELLS ME
SOMETHING I CAN'T BELIEVE.

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S NEW RULES

ARE BASED
ONLY ON PAST FLOOD DATA

AND DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT

THAT EXTRA 2 TO 7 FEET
OF SEA-LEVEL RISE

PROJECTED BY CLIMATE SCIENTISTS.

YOU CAN BUILD HOUSES
BIGGER AND STRONGER,

BUT IF THE HOMES
ARE STILL LOCATED

IN VERY VULNERABLE AREAS,

WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED
WHEN THEY CONTINUE

TO BE DAMAGED
BY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS.

SO WHAT WOULD REBUILDING
RIGHT ON THE SHORELINE --

WHAT WOULD REBUILDING SMART
LOOK LIKE?

OUR SUGGESTION IS
WE INCREMENTALLY PULL BACK.

YOU CAN VOLUNTARILY
RELOCATE FOLKS

SO IT CAN BE RESTORED
AS A DUNE OR A WETLAND

THAT CAN BE
MORE PROTECTIVE.

WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS
OVER TIME.

IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY
UNSUSTAINABLE

AND FINANCIALLY
UNSUSTAINABLE.

PULLING BACK FROM THE SHORE
MIGHT SOUND DRASTIC,

BUT I'M ON MY WAY TO A PLACE
THAT'S DONE JUST THAT --

A COUNTRY WHERE FLOODING
IS A WAY OF LIFE.

Ericksen:
WELL, IT'S A DISTINCT HONOR

FOR THE SENATE ENERGY,
ENVIRONMENT,

AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
TODAY

TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON,

GOVERNOR INSLEE, HERE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

IN MY MANY YEARS
IN THE LEGISLATURE,

I CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND

THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE GOVERNOR
HAS COME TO TESTIFY ON A BILL,

AND THAT MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME
THE GOVERNOR CAME

TO TESTIFY ON A BILL
AND GOT APPLAUSE, SO...

[ LAUGHTER ]
...WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE.

IT'S EARLY
IN THE SESSION HERE, SO...

Munn:
AS THE LEGISLATURE PREPARES

TO DEBATE GOVERNOR INSLEE'S
CLIMATE ACTION BILL,

THINGS START OUT
PRETTY FRIENDLY.

THE REASON I HAVE PROPOSED
THIS BILL AS I HAVE

IS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE
ALL THE ANSWERS,

EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN ELECTED
GOVERNOR.

THIS MAY SHOCK YOU.
[ LAUGHTER ]

THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR US

TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP
WITH THOSE ANSWERS.

Munn: BUT THE REPUBLICANS
HAVE SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS.

HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD
WHILE NOT LOSING

THE MANUFACTURING JOB BASE
THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE HERE?

HOW CAN YOU ASSURE ME
THAT MORE RULES AND REGULATIONS

WON'T CONTINUE TO HURT
SMALL BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON?

Man: WASHINGTON STATE
ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 1/3 OF 1%

OF GLOBAL GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS.

DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT NUMBER?

Munn: BUT INSLEE SAYS

THE REAL THREAT TO THE ECONOMY
IS IGNORING CLIMATE CHANGE.

Inslee: THE POTENTIAL COST
OF CLIMATE CHANGE

HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO REACH
$10 BILLION BY 2020.

THAT'S $10 BILLION.

THESE ARE REAL COSTS TO
REAL PEOPLE TO REAL BUSINESSES,

AND IT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

NOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT...

Munn: BEHIND THE SCENES,
IT'S OBVIOUS HE'S FRUSTRATED.

Man: THIS IS THE BEGINNING
OF A CONVERSATION,

WE WANT TO HAVE
THIS DIALOGUE,

SO THAT'S THE WAY TO THINK
ABOUT THIS.

Inslee: BUT AT SOME POINT,
IF SOMEBODY DOES

REALLY WANT TO CHALLENGE
THE SCIENCE...

RIGHT.
THEN YOU'RE READY.

...THEN I'VE GOT TO SAY,
YOU KNOW,

"LET ME TELL YOU
WHO YOU'RE ARGUING WITH."

WE'LL GET A PRINTOUT
OF THAT RIGHT NOW.

"IT'S NOT ME. IT'S THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES."

KEITH SAID HE HAD IT,
SO I THINK THAT --
"IT'S NASA."

Munn: SOME REPUBLICANS
MAKE IT CLEAR

THEY DON'T BELIEVE
CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL.

THEY BRING IN THEIR OWN WITNESS
TO CHALLENGE THE SCIENCE.

Easterbrook:
GLOBAL WARMING ENDED IN 1998.

THAT MAY COME AS A SURPRISE,

BUT I'LL SHOW YOU
THE DATA FOR IT.

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE CLAIMS
THAT THE TEMPERATURES

ARE WARMER NOW
THAN THEY HAVE EVER BEEN?

THESE ARE PATENTLY NOT TRUE.

Munn: DON EASTERBROOK IS
A RETIRED GEOLOGY PROFESSOR

FROM WESTERN WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY.

SOON AFTER THIS HEARING,
HIS ENTIRE DEPARTMENT

WRITES A LETTER
DISAVOWING HIS TESTIMONY.

ALL THE DATA THAT I'VE READ
AND I HAVE BEFORE ME

SHOWS THAT, PARTICULARLY
IN THE LAST 12 YEARS,

WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE
IN TEMPERATURE,

WE'VE SEEN
MORE RECORDS BROKEN.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL DATA
BEFORE THEY MANIPULATED IT.

AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
IS THE DATA

THAT HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH
BY NOAA AND BY NASA.

IS THIS A CONSPIRACY?

UH, I'M NOT
INTO CONSPIRACIES,

SO I HAVE
NO COMMENT ON THAT.

[ SIGHS ]

SOON, THE SENATE REPUBLICANS

SETTLE ANY DOUBTS
ABOUT WHERE THEY STAND.

THEY PASS AN AMENDMENT

REMOVING ALL MENTIONS
OF CLIMATE CHANGE

FROM INSLEE'S
CLIMATE-CHANGE BILL.

INSLEE'S BEEN IN OFFICE
BARELY TWO MONTHS,

AND HIS CLIMATE-CHANGE AGENDA
IS ALREADY FALTERING.

AND REPUBLICANS
AREN'T HIS ONLY PROBLEM.

[ TRAIN HORN BLARES ]

I LEARNED THERE'S AN EVEN BIGGER
CONTROVERSY BREWING,

ONE THAT'S DIVIDING
INSLEE'S OWN PARTY.

Bittman: THE NETHERLANDS

IS ONE OF THE MOST LOW-LYING
COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

MUCH OF IT IS ACTUALLY
BELOW SEA LEVEL.

I CAME HERE TO MEET
WITH DR. JEROEN AERTS,

ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP EXPERTS
ON FLOOD RISK,

TO SEE WHAT NEW JERSEY
MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEARN

FROM A PLACE WHERE TOO MUCH
WATER IS PART OF DAILY LIFE.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE
POPULATION OF THE NETHERLANDS

IS REALLY AFFECTED
BY WATER?

ONE-THIRD OF THE COUNTRY
IS LYING BELOW SEA LEVEL,

AND ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE POPULATION

LIVES IN FLOODPLAINS.

SO, ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE POPULATION

CAN BE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED
BY FLOODS.

THE WATER IS COMING
FROM THE SEA.

THE WATER IS COMING
FROM THE RIVERS.

WE HAVE GROUNDWATER,

AND WE HAVE ALSO
PRECIPITATION -- RAIN.

SO, WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF FLOODS
OVER HERE.

WE HAD OUR WAKE-UP CALLS.
WE HAVE HAD OUR SANDY.

THEIR SANDY CAME
IN JANUARY 1953.

THE NORTH SEA FLOOD INUNDATED
10% OF THE COUNTRY'S FARMLAND,

DESTROYING 10,000 BUILDINGS
AND KILLING ALMOST 2,000 PEOPLE.

IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THIS DISASTER,

THE DUTCH WENT TO WAR
WITH WATER.

THEY BUILT THE LARGEST SYSTEM
OF DIKES AND LEVEES

IN THE WORLD TO KEEP WATER OUT.

BUT IN THE 1990s,
THEY GOT ANOTHER WAKE-UP CALL.

CLIMATE CHANGE WAS CAUSING MORE
INTENSE RAINS AND RISING SEAS.

THE RESULT WAS
MASSIVE RIVER FLOODING

THAT OVERWHELMED
THEIR DEFENSES.

THE DUTCH NEEDED A NEW PLAN.

THEY CALLED IT
LIVING WITH THE WATER.

WE THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE,
WE SHOULD GIVE SOME ROOM

BACK TO THE RIVER,
ALLOW THE RIVER TO FLOOD,

LIKE IT WAS IN THE PAST

WHEN THERE WERE NO PEOPLE LIVING
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

HOWEVER,
THERE ARE LOCATIONS

WHERE PEOPLE LIVE
IN THE FLOODPLAIN.

AND FOR THOSE LOCATIONS,

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT
TO FIND A SOLUTION

THAT BOTH ALLOWS
THE RIVER TO FLOOD

BUT ALSO
PROTECT THE PEOPLE.

NOW WHEN YOU DRIVE
THROUGH THE DUTCH COUNTRYSIDE,

THE LANDSCAPE
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED.

WITH HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT,

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN RELOCATED.

THE ONES WHO WANTED TO STAY

HAD TO ACCEPT FLOODING
AS A FACT OF LIFE.

WHERE WAS YOUR FARM
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CAME?

THIS.
LOWER.

THIS PILE OF RUBBLE?
YEAH, YEAH.

I'M SORRY.
NO.

[ LAUGHTER ]

YEAH, BECAUSE ONLY MAKING
THE DIKES BIGGER AND HIGHER,

IT WAS NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE,

SO THEY NEED MORE SPACE
TO FLOOD THE WATER.

Bittman: THESE FARMERS BUILT
THIS GIANT MOUND OF DIRT

AND MOVED THEIR HOUSE AND BARN
ON TOP OF IT.

NOW, DURING A STORM, THE LAND
BELOW IS COMPLETELY UNDERWATER.

BY LETTING MORE WATER
INTO THE FIELDS,

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE AREA
AROUND THE FARMS?

TO MASTERMIND
THEIR FLOOD STRATEGY,

THE DUTCH CREATED A GROUP
CALLED THE DELTA COMMISSION.

IT BRINGS TOGETHER POLITICIANS,
ENGINEERS, AND BUSINESS LEADERS,

AND UNLIKE NEW JERSEY,

THEY RECRUITED
CLIMATE SCIENTISTS TO HELP.

SOME PEOPLE THINK
CLIMATE CHANGE

IS SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE,

BUT IT'S ALREADY THERE.

WE ARE THE FIRST ONES

TO SENSE THE IMPACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

BECAUSE WHERE
THE OTHERS SAY

THERE ARE
QUESTION MARKS OR NOT,

WE ARE SO LOW-LYING, THE IMPACT
ON US WILL BE IMMEDIATE,

AND WE CAN'T WAIT,

SO WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE WILL HAVE TO ADAPT.

Bittman:
IT SEEMS LIKE NEW JERSEY

NEEDS ITS OWN DELTA COMMISSION.

AND BACK IN THE U.S., I FIND OUT

THAT THEY USED TO HAVE
SOMETHING STRIKINGLY SIMILAR.

YEARS BEFORE SANDY,
THE STATE FORMED SOMETHING

CALLED THE OFFICE
OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION.

SO WHY WASN'T NEW JERSEY
BETTER PREPARED?

I FOUND SOMEONE
WHO SAYS HE CAN TELL ME.

[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]

Man: THIS IS A REGIONAL ISSUE

AND A GLOBAL ISSUE
AND A GENERATIONAL ISSUE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

ARE YOU READY
TO POWER PAST COAL?

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn: GOVERNOR INSLEE
IS ABOUT TO FACE WHAT MIGHT BE

THE BIGGEST CLIMATE-CHANGE
DECISION OF HIS ENTIRE TERM,

ONE THAT WILL HAVE
GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS.

COAL IS
THE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE

OF GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS
IN THE WORLD.

BUT THESE DAYS,

AMERICANS AREN'T BURNING
NEARLY AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS
FOR THE CLIMATE,

BUT FOR COAL COMPANIES,
IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.

SO THE INDUSTRY HAS A PLAN --

EXPORT AMERICA'S COAL TO ASIA,
WHERE COAL USE IS SKYROCKETING.

THEY JUST NEED A WAY
TO GET IT THERE.

AND SO THEY'RE PLANNING
TO TRANSPORT IT

OVER A THOUSAND MILES BY TRAIN

TO SPECIALLY BUILT EXPORT
TERMINALS ON THE WEST COAST.

AND THE TWO LARGEST ONES WOULD
BE IN WASHINGTON STATE.

ALL TOLD, IT WOULD DOUBLE

THE AMOUNT OF COAL
THE U.S. EXPORTS EACH YEAR.

THE DEBATE OVER THESE TERMINALS
IS ENGULFING THE WHOLE STATE...

WE DON'T NEED
THE INCREASED GREENHOUSE GASES

AND OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
THESE PROPOSALS WILL BRING.

Munn:
...AND PITTING ENVIRONMENTALISTS
AGAINST LABOR GROUPS.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CREATE JOBS.

GOOD, LIVING-WAGE JOBS.

Munn: AT PUBLIC HEARINGS
LIKE THIS ONE,

THE TWO SIDES SHOW UP
LOOKING LIKE RIVAL SPORTS TEAMS,

IN MATCHING SHIRTS,
READY TO SQUARE OFF.

LET'S MOVE FORWARD
TOWARD PROSPERITY.

ECONOMIC VALUES DON'T TRUMP
ALL THE OTHER VALUES.

Man:
TO PUSH FORWARD WOULD BE

TO COMMIT A CRIME
AGAINST THE FUTURE.

Woman: THANK YOU.

Munn: ALL THIS POSES A HUGE
POLITICAL DILEMMA FOR INSLEE.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS
AND ORGANIZED LABOR HAPPEN TO BE

THE TWO GROUPS
THAT GOT HIM ELECTED.

THE QUESTION NOW IS,
WHICH SIDE IS HE GONNA TAKE?

WHETHER THE EARTH WARMS OR NOT,
RIGHT NOW,

WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY, GROW THE JOBS,

PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK,

AND I HOPE OUR GOVERNOR AGREES
WITH ME

THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS
ON WASHINGTON FIRST.

Man:
IF YOU LOOK AT WHATCOM COUNTY,

15% OF OUR POPULATION

IS LIVING BELOW
THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE.

Man #2:
WE NEED JOBS IN WHATCOM COUNTY.

WE NEED GOOD INDUSTRIAL JOBS.

Munn: THE FIRST BATTLE
IN THIS WAR OVER COAL

IS HAPPENING HERE
IN WHATCOM COUNTY,

WHERE THEY'RE PLANNING
TO BUILD ONE OF THE TERMINALS.

[ DOG BARKING ]

I'M OUT HERE
SUPPORTING FOUR CANDIDATES

WHO ARE RUNNING FOR THE WHATCOM
COUNTY COUNCIL RACE.

A RACE FOR LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL

MAY NOT SOUND
TERRIBLY EXCITING,

BUT WHEN IT COMES
TO CLIMATE CHANGE,

THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST
IMPORTANT ELECTION OF THE YEAR.

I'M ON MY WAY TO MEET
WITH BRENDON CECHOVIC

FROM THE GROUP
WASHINGTON CONSERVATION VOTERS.

HIS SMALL STAFF
IS WORKING NONSTOP

TO BLOCK THE COAL TERMINALS.

Cechovic: THE WHOLE POINT OF
THIS IS SHOWING THE COUNTRY,

SHOWING THE COAL COMPANIES,
SHOWING GOVERNOR INSLEE

THAT THERE'S A POLITICAL FORCE
BEHIND THIS ANTI-COAL EFFORT.

WE'RE READY TO COME IN
AND WIN ELECTIONS ON CLIMATE.

THIS IS CRAZY,
BUT THE FIRST DECISION

OF WHETHER OR NOT WE DO
THESE EXPORT PROPOSALS OR NOT

COMES DOWN TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL
IN WHATCOM COUNTY.

THIS IS SMALL-TOWN POLITICS,
LOCAL STUFF.

NOW, IF WHATCOM COUNTY VOTES
TO NOT ALLOW THESE PERMITS,

THAT'S THE END
OF THE COAL TERMINALS.

IF WE WIN THESE ELECTIONS
IN NOVEMBER,

WHATCOM COUNTY VOTES NO
ON THE PROPOSAL,

THAT'S THE END OF COAL EXPORT
THROUGH CHERRY POINT.

IT'S GAME OVER.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
WHO WORKED ON PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN...

RIGHT.
...THAT ARE COMING OUT HERE
TO THIS LITTLE ELECTION.

RIGHT, WE'VE ACTUALLY HIRED
THE PRESIDENT'S DATA TEAM...

WOW.
...THE PEOPLE WHO DO
HIS TARGETING,

AND HELP US IDENTIFY
WHO TO TALK TO,

WHO NOT TO TALK TO,
WHEN TO TALK TO THEM.

I THINK WE'VE BUILT ONE OF THE
MOST IMPRESSIVE CAMPAIGN TEAMS

I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE
IN POLITICS.

ALL FOR
THIS LITTLE ELECTION.

ALL FOR
THIS LITTLE ELECTION.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]

[ BELL DINGING ]

Krohn:
IF THE UNITED STATES

WERE TO HALT
ALL COAL EXPORTS TODAY,

IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP THE
NATIONS THAT ARE CONSUMING COAL

TO BURN ONE LUMP OF IT.

ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO

IS EXPORT THOSE JOBS
TO OTHER PLACES.

HERB KROHN IS HEAD OF THE LOCAL
RAILROAD WORKERS' UNION.

HE'S ONE
OF THE MOST POWERFUL LEADERS

ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE COAL ISSUE.

YOU CAN COME OUT AND PROTEST,
AND YOU CAN FEEL

LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING
FOR THE WORLD.

RIGHT.
BUT YOU'RE NOT
ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING

EXCEPT COSTING
AMERICAN JOBS.

YOU'RE SAYING THERE IS
NO FREE LUNCH,

BUT YOUR BIG CONCERN
IS THAT THERE ARE MEN

THAT YOU REPRESENT
WHO HAVE NO LUNCH,

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING
TO FOCUS ON.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES
WITH NO DINNERS.
RIGHT.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
UNEMPLOYED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

JOBS CREATE JOBS.

THE BUILDING
OF THESE FACILITIES

IS GOING TO EMPLOY
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THE RAILROAD JOBS ARE GONNA
STRETCH ALL THE WAY BACK

TO THE ORIGINATING POINT
OF THE TRAINS.

DID YOU VOTE
FOR GOVERNOR INSLEE?

YES. OUR UNION SUPPORTED
GOVERNOR INSLEE QUITE WELL.

YEAH, WE TALKED TO HIM
ABOUT THESE FACILITIES.

WHAT HAS HE SAID ABOUT IT?

UH, HE SAID THEY HAVE
TO BE STUDIED.

I RESPECT GOVERNOR INSLEE,
AND, YEAH, WE HOPE

THAT HE'LL KEEP HIS PLEDGE
TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

MM-HMM.

BUT SO FAR, INSLEE'S AVOIDED

GIVING A STRAIGHT ANSWER
ABOUT THE TERMINALS.

Inslee: WE'RE STILL COMING
OUT OF THIS RECESSION.

JOB CREATION IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.

BUT I WANT TO REITERATE --
WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY DECISIONS.

THAT'LL BE AN ONGOING PROCESS
FOR YEARS TO COME.

Munn:
I JUST WONDER HOW LONG

HE'LL BE ABLE TO STAY
ON THE SIDELINES.

MEANWHILE, HIS CLIMATE ACTION
BILL IS NEARING A VOTE.

AND THE GOVERNOR FACES
A TOUGH DECISION --

IS THE BILL WORTH PASSING
IF THE WORDS "CLIMATE CHANGE"

AREN'T EVEN IN IT?

THE QUESTION NOW BEFORE US

IS SORT OF
A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

DO WE GO WITH THIS BILL
THAT IS LESS THAN PERFECT,

OR DO WE CONTINUE TO WORK
AND FIGHT OVER THE LANGUAGE?

IF WE WANTED TO GET IT
OUT OF THE SENATE,

WE BASICALLY NEEDED
TO AVOID THE FIGHT.

Munn: AND IN THE END,
THAT'S WHAT INSLEE DOES.

THE BILL GOES TO A VOTE WITHOUT
ANY MENTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

BUT IN EXCHANGE,
THE REPUBLICANS AGREE

TO JOIN INSLEE'S WORKGROUP

TO REDUCE
GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS.

Man: 37 YEAS, 12 NAYS.

SENATE BILL 5802
IS DECLARED PASSED.

Inslee: AND MANY OF THEM THOUGHT
THE BILL WOULD DIE

BECAUSE WE'D INSIST ON THE WORD
"CLIMATE CHANGE."

WE WENT AHEAD
AND JUST PASSED IT ANYWAY.

THIS IS THE START
OF SOMETHING BIG HERE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

IT SERVES A PURPOSE,

WHICH IS ASKING REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS

TO COME TO THE TABLE

AND ACCEPT MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
FOR FINDING A SOLUTION.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn:
INSLEE CLAIMS IT AS A VICTORY,

BUT ONCE THE WORKGROUP
STARTS MEETING,

I WONDER IF THESE TWO SIDES

WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE
TO AGREE ON ANYTHING.

Bittman:
I'M MEETING WITH BILL WOLFE.

OVER MORE THAN TWO DECADES,
BILL WORKED INSIDE

THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

STUDYING THREATS TO THE COAST.

HE SAYS THAT,
LONG BEFORE SUPERSTORM SANDY,

THERE WERE WARNINGS.

PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS
INSIDE D.E.P. FOR YEARS

HAD BEEN TALKING
ABOUT COASTAL VULNERABILITY

TO FLOODS AND STORMS
AND SEA-LEVEL RISE.

AND THEY WERE BASICALLY REPORTS
THAT SAT ON A SHELF

EVERY 2 YEARS FOR DECA--
FOR 15-YEAR PERIODS.

IT'S ABOUT THE MID '90s.

THIS IS THE REACTION
TO THEM ACKNOWLEDGING --

THEM ACKNOWLEDGING THAT
THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

PROJECTED SEA-LEVEL RISE,
STORM SURGE,

AND INCREASING
STORM INTENSITY

THAT, WHEN YOU MAPPED
THOSE RISKS ALONG THE SHORE,

THAT WE WERE
HIGHLY VULNERABLE.

WERE THOSE WARNINGS
BECOMING SHRILLER,

MORE HARSH,
MORE WORRISOME,

THAN THEY WERE
20, 30, 40 YEARS AGO?

ABSOLUTELY, AND IT WAS
ALMOST AS IF THE PLANNERS

WERE RUNNING AROUND
WITH THEIR HAIR ON FIRE.

FOR YEARS,
THESE WARNINGS WERE IGNORED,

BUT IN 2005, HURRICANE KATRINA
DEVASTATED NEW ORLEANS

AND CHANGED EVERYTHING.

NEW JERSEY LEADERS REALIZED

THEIR COAST COULD BE VULNERABLE
TO A SIMILAR STORM,

AND SO GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S
PREDECESSOR, JON CORZINE,

CREATED AN OFFICE
OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION

TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.

IN THE WAKE OF KATRINA,

THERE WAS A WHOLE BURST
OF ACTIVITY

DEALING
WITH EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS,

COASTAL ADAPTATION,

AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS
FOR THE SHORE.

PROMISE OF ACTUAL...
ACTIONS.

...YEAH, ACTIONS,
AND THEN...

AND THEN THE CHRISTIE
ADMINISTRATION CAME ON BOARD

AND BASICALLY
SYSTEMATICALLY --

SYSTEMATICALLY, ACROSS
THE BOARD, DISMANTLED THAT.

HIS FIRST HOUR IN OFFICE,
HE ISSUED FOUR EXECUTIVE ORDERS,

AND THOSE FOUR ORDERS
TARGETED

THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

AND SO COASTAL-MANAGEMENT
POLICIES

AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
AND ADAPTATION POLICIES,

THAT WAS ALL NIXED.

NO ONE KNOWS
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED

IF CHRISTIE HADN'T KILLED
THESE PROGRAMS,

BUT WITHOUT THEM,

NEW JERSEY WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD
BY SUPERSTORM SANDY.

AS A RESULT, BILL WOLFE SAYS,

THE REBUILDING PLAN
HAD TO BE IMPROVISED,

AND IT'S FATALLY FLAWED.

WHERE WE'RE REBUILDING,

WE ARE VIRTUALLY GUARANTEEING
TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND

OF EXACTLY
WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.

BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE
THIS WAY.

Bloomberg: WE CAN RISE BACK
FROM THE ASHES,

AND WE CAN BE SMARTER
AND STRONGER THAN EVER.

WE CAN MODERNIZE.

Bittman: JUST ACROSS THE
HUDSON RIVER FROM NEW JERSEY,

NEW YORK CITY
HAS BEEN MAKING PLANS

FOR A NETHERLANDS-STYLE
SMART ADAPTATION SINCE 2007.

EARLIER THIS WEEK,
MAYOR BLOOMBERG UNVEILED

A $20 BILLION PLAN
TO PROTECT...

Man:
THE MAYOR LAID OUT A 439-PAGE
PLAN TO PROTECT THE CITY.

Bittman: THE CITY EVEN HIRED
DUTCH EXPERTS TO HELP.

Man #2: AMONG THE BIGGER
PROJECTS ARE REMOVABLE GATES

ALONG LOWER MANHATTAN
SHORELINES,

STORM-SURGE BARRIERS
IN NEWTOWN CREEK,

THE GOWANUS CANAL,
AND ELSEWHERE,

EVEN A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
NEAR THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT

THAT WOULD ABSORB
RISING SEA LEVELS.

THIS IS URGENT WORK,
AND IT MUST BEGIN NOW.

Bittman:
SO WHY ISN'T CHRIS CHRISTIE

TAKING ANY OF THIS INTO ACCOUNT
IN HIS STATE?

KARA,
WE'RE CALLING YOU AGAIN.

WOMAN:
Governor's press office.

CAN I HAVE KARA WALKER'S
OFFICE, PLEASE?

This is Kara.
HEY, THIS IS MARK BITTMAN.

I'M JUST FOLLOWING UP,
SEEING IF WE CAN GET

THAT INTERVIEW WE'RE TRYING TO
GET WITH GOVERNOR CHRISTIE.

Okay. I'll have
to follow up with you.

At the moment, I don't have
an answer for you just yet,

but I do have your request
on hand,

and hopefully we can set
a date tomorrow.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

YOU WANT ME TO CALL YOU,
OR YOU GONNA CALL ME?

Um...I think I've got

all your contact information
in the e-mail,

so, you know,
I can definitely...

Inslee: OKAY, WE'RE HERE

FOR THE CLIMATE LEGISLATIVE
AND EXECUTIVE WORKGROUP.

AS PART OF OUR LEAN MANAGEMENT,
WE'VE SOLD THE GAVEL,

SO WE DON'T HAVE A GAVEL
TO START WITH,

SO WE'LL JUST START
WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.

Munn: AS GOVERNOR INSLEE'S
BIPARTISAN WORKGROUP

BEGINS TO MEET,
THE CRACKS ARE ALREADY SHOWING

BETWEEN REPUBLICANS CONCERNED

ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
OF REGULATIONS...

I WANT TO BE
AN INNOVATIVE STATE,

BUT I AM NOT GONNA DO IT ON THE
BACKS OF WASHINGTON FAMILIES.

Munn:
...AND DEMOCRATS CONCERNED

ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE ITSELF.

LET'S CONSIDER THE IMPACTS

OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
IN WASHINGTON STATE

AND THE THOUSANDS OF JOBS
THAT DIRECTLY DEPEND UPON IT.

Munn: MEANWHILE, THE FIGHT
OVER COAL IN WHATCOM COUNTY

IS CREATING DIVISIONS
EVEN AMONG FELLOW DEMOCRATS.

I WANT TO KNOW
HOW GOVERNOR INSLEE

IS GONNA HANDLE ALL THIS.

Munn: THIS IS
SO BEAUTIFUL HERE.

Inslee: YEAH.

I'VE ACTUALLY NEVER BEEN INSIDE
OF A STATE CAPITOL BEFORE.

I WANTED TO CHIP OFF SOME MARBLE
TO TAKE HOME AS A SOUVENIR.

WE FROWN ON THAT,

BUT I CAN GET YOU SOME MARBLE
FROM SOMEWHERE.

OH, REALLY?
JUST NOT HERE.

YOU FROWN ON THAT?

I'LL GET YOU
SOME TENINO SANDSTONE.

WHEN WE LAST SAT DOWN,

YOU HAD JUST PASSED
A CLIMATE BILL.

MM-HMM.

HOW HAS THAT
BEEN WORKING SO FAR?

HOW HAPPY ARE YOU
WITH THAT?

SO, WE'VE HAD OUR FIRST SERIES
OF MEETINGS,

BUT NOW WE GOT TO ESTABLISH
THE PLAN TO MEET THE TARGETS,

AND WE'VE SET THIS UP
TO TRY TO DO THIS

ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS,
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

ARE YOU STILL AS FRUSTRATED
WITH REPUBLICANS

AS YOU WERE BEFORE,

OR DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE
HAS BEEN SOME MOVEMENT?

WELL, THE JURY IS OUT,

SO WE'LL SEE IN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS WHETHER THEY ACCEPT.

WE'VE PUT OUR HAND OUT

TO TRY TO ASK THEM TO HELP US
DESIGN A SOLUTION,

AND I HOPE THEY DO.

THERE'S A BIG ISSUE
GOING ON RIGHT NOW

WITH THE COAL-EXPORT
TERMINALS.
MM-HMM, YOU BET.

WHEN YOU RAN FOR GOVERNOR,

YOU HAD THE SUPPORT
OF MOST OF THE LABOR UNIONS,

AND SO THAT'S PROBABLY
GOT TO BE A TRICKY
PLACE FOR YOU TO BE IN

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET
THE PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON JOBS,

AND YOU ALSO CARE
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO YOUR
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT HOW MANY JOBS

IT COULD GIVE THE PEOPLE
OF WHATCOM COUNTY?

SURE, I DO,
AND I'M VERY COMFORTABLE

WITH MY ANALYSIS OF THIS

BECAUSE THERE ARE
SOME PLUSES

FROM THE JOB PERSPECTIVE
FOR A COAL PORT,

BUT THERE'S
ALSO SOME MINUSES.

IN SOLAR, IN WIND,

IN CARBON-FIBER FOR PLANES
AND CARS,

IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY --

THIS IS WHERE OUR FUTURE IS,
AND WE'RE GONNA SEIZE IT.

YOU HAVEN'T SAID OUT LOUD YET,
"I'M AGAINST IT."

WELL, I AM CONFIDENT THE VOTERS
OF WHATCOM COUNTY

ARE GONNA KNOW
THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS.

THIS IS GONNA BE
A VERY HOTLY CONTESTED ISSUE.

PEOPLE ARE GONNA KNOW

THE CARBON-DIOXIDE POLLUTION
THAT COMES FROM THIS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHERE COAL IS BURNED.

THE CARBON-DIOXIDE THAT COMES
FROM THE COAL

THAT'S SHIPPED OUT
OF WASHINGTON,

BURNED IN CHINA,
ENDS UP IN PUGET SOUND

AND ENDS UP
CHANGING THE CLIMATE.

AND WHILE INSLEE
WON'T TELL ME FLAT-OUT

THAT HE'S
AGAINST THE TERMINALS,

I LEARN HE'S DOING
SOMETHING BIG,

SOMETHING THAT MAKES
HIS POINT OF VIEW CRYSTAL-CLEAR.

HE'S ORDERING WHAT MIGHT BE

THE MOST EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW EVER CONDUCTED,

NOT JUST IN HIS STATE,
BUT ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

BEFORE THEY CAN GET
A BUILDING PERMIT,

THE COAL TERMINALS
WILL BE RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED,

NOT JUST FOR THEIR IMPACT ON
LOCAL AIR AND WATER QUALITY...

BUT ALSO FOR
ALL THE CARBON EMISSIONS

FROM ALL THE COAL
THEY PLAN TO SHIP,

WHETHER IT GETS BURNED
IN WASHINGTON STATE, CHINA,

OR ANYWHERE ELSE
ON THE PLANET.

HEY, THIS IS DICK DONAHUE
WITH YOU

THIS SATURDAY MORNING
HERE ON KGMI.

THIS MOVE BY INSLEE DOESN'T
SIT WELL WITH CRAIG COLE,

A SPOKESMAN
FOR THE TERMINAL COMPANY.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY ANNOUNCED

THAT THEY WANTED A VERY,
VERY BROAD SCOPE OF REVIEW

THAT WOULD INCLUDE
SUCH THINGS

AS THE IMPACT
ON CLIMATE CHANGE

OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE USED
IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE
FACETIOUS ABOUT THIS,

BUT DOES THAT MEAN,
IF WE SHIP WHEAT TO CHINA,

THAT WE'VE GOT TO MEASURE
THE IMPACT WHEN BREAD IS BAKED?

Woman: ALL I EVER READ
IN THE NEWSPAPER, ONLINE, TV

IS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BRING
MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION

BACK TO THE UNITED STATES,
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME

THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
IN OUR POWER TO CHASE IT AWAY.

WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE
FROM CALIFORNIA OR SEATTLE

TO TELL US
HOW WE OUGHT TO VOTE

IN OUR LOCAL
COUNTY COUNCIL RACES.

AS ALL OF YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A HUGE RACE.

IT'S NOT ONLY A PRIORITY
FOR WHATCOM COUNTY RESIDENTS,

IT'S A PRIORITY
FOR ALL OF WASHINGTON STATE,

THE NATION, AND THE WORLD.

THE COAL COMPANIES JUST DUMPED

AN ADDITIONAL $160,000
INTO THEIR PAC.

BUT THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY

THAT REPLACES WHAT YOU GUYS
ARE GONNA DO TODAY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn: AS THE ELECTION
IN WHATCOM COUNTY

GETS DOWN TO THE WIRE,

BOTH SIDES ARE MAKING
A LAST-DITCH EFFORT

TO WIN PEOPLE OVER.

I'M A VOLUNTEER
WITH THE WHATCOM WINS CAMPAIGN

FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.

NOW, THIS NOVEMBER, WE HAVE
A REALLY IMPORTANT ELECTION

FOR WHATCOM COUNTY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BYE.

Woman:
RUD BROWNE, BARRY BUCHANAN,

KEN MANN, AND CARL WEIMER.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO!

ALL RIGHT. GUYS,
COUNT ME DOWN FROM 5, OKAY?

READY? 5...

All: 4, 3, 2, 1!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Bittman:
IT'S MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND,

AND CHRIS CHRISTIE
HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE --

THE SHORE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

CHRISTIE EVEN SETS
A NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

FOR LONGEST RIBBON EVER CUT.

HE SURE KNOWS HOW TO MILK
THE MEDIA ATTENTION.

BUT HE WON'T TALK TO ME.

WE'RE ON HOLD,
NEEDLESS TO SAY.

TWO MINUTES.

THREE.

ALMOST FOUR.

This is Kara.
How can I help you?

HEY, THIS IS MARK BITTMAN.
WE SPOKE A MONTH OR TWO AGO.

YOU ACTUALLY WERE GONNA GET BACK
TO ME WITH AN ANSWER

ABOUT WHETHER WE COULD GET
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR

ABOUT SANDY AND ITS EFFECTS
ON THE SHORELINE.

WALKER:
Okay. Sure, Mark.

Um, let me go ahead and circle
back with our office here,

and I'll touch base
with you

hopefully by the end
of the week.

BUT IN UNION BEACH,
NOT EVERYONE IS SATISFIED

TO SIMPLY GO ON WITH LIFE

WITHOUT GETTING
SOME CLEAR ANSWERS

ON WHY THE STORM
WAS SO DEVASTATING

AND WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT BRING.

CLIMATE SCIENTIST
MICHAEL OPPENHEIMER

DELIVERS SOME UNWELCOME NEWS.

Oppenheimer: WE'RE UNLUCKY.

IN THIS AREA OF THE WORLD,

THE SEA IS PROJECTED

TO RISE FASTER
THAN THE GLOBAL AVERAGE.

IF IT'S 4 FEET HIGHER,

WHICH IS WHAT WE THINK
WILL HAPPEN TO THIS AREA

IF SEA-LEVEL RISE
IS NOT SLOWED DOWN

BY RATHER STARK EMISSIONS CUTS,

THEN THE 100-YEAR STORM HAPPENS
EVERY 5 YEARS.

[ AUDIENCE MURMURING ]

Man: IT IS EYE-OPENING,

AND I DO RESPECT IT,
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S FACT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT
"THE SKY IS FALLING," FOR SURE.

IT'S REALITY.

AND I AM SO SORRY
MY HUSBAND DIDN'T COME,

'CAUSE I WOULD LIKE HIM TO HEAR
WHAT THE DOCTOR SAID.

VERY FRIGHTENING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

WE HAVE TO ADAPT
TO THE CONDITIONS

THAT WE KNOW WE'RE FACING NOW
AND WILL FACE IN OUR LIFETIMES,

IN OUR KIDS' LIFETIMES.

I'M NOT REBUILDING.
I DIDN'T GET THE FUNDS TO DO IT.

AFTER LISTENING TO YOU, I'M KIND
OF GLAD I'M NOT REBUILDING.

IT SCARES ME A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I FEEL LIKE THE STATE PUT
FUNNEL CAKES BEFORE FAMILIES,

AND THAT'S A SHAME.
Woman: YEAH.

Oppenheimer: I HOPE YOU TAKE
THIS NOT AS A PARTISAN REMARK,

BUT IT'S TRUE
ALSO OF MY STATE.

NEW YORK HAS A GOVERNOR
THAT WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.

NEW JERSEY HAS A GOVERNOR
THAT WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.

THESE PEOPLE WILL BE ASKED

WHAT THEY DID
TO SAVE PEOPLE AFTER SANDY.

THIS IS ONE WAY
YOU CAN BE EFFECTIVE.

YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD.

IT MAY NOT DO YOU A DAMN BIT
OF GOOD AFTER THE FACT,

BUT THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT YOU'LL BE THERE,

CALLING THESE PEOPLE TO ACCOUNT,
THEY KNOW THAT.

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE KNOWS THAT.
MY GOVERNOR, CUOMO, KNOWS THAT.

BOTH OF THEM ARE TRYING
TO STAKE CLAIMS

FOR HAVING HANDLED
THIS SITUATION WELL.

YOU'RE THE TEST
AS TO WHETHER THEY DID,

AND YOU WILL BE THE WITNESSES.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Christie: WELL, WELL, WELL.
HOW ABOUT THIS, NEW JERSEY?

Bittman:
ON NOVEMBER 6, 2013,

JUST OVER A YEAR
AFTER THE STORM,

CHRIS CHRISTIE WINS RE-ELECTION
IN A LANDSLIDE.

TONIGHT I STAND HERE
AS YOUR GOVERNOR,

AND I AM SO PROUD TO BE
YOUR GOVERNOR.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

IT'S A SACRED TRUST
THAT WAS THRUST UPON ME AND YOU

ON OCTOBER 29th OF LAST YEAR.

AND ON THE BATTLEFIELD THAT
SANDY TURNED THIS STATE INTO,

NEW JERSEYANS WILL NEVER LEAVE
ANY NEW JERSEYAN BEHIND.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Munn: AS THE VOTES FOR
THE WHATCOM COUNTY ELECTIONS

START COMING IN...

Woman: BUCHANAN'S UP.
Man: UP, YEAH.

KEN MANN'S UP.
Woman #2: OH, MY GOD,
KEN MANN'S --

CARL WEIMER'S UP.

...IT'S CLEAR
THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS

ARE HEADED FOR A BIG WIN.

OH, MY GOD! OH!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Man: MORE, MORE, MORE!

Munn: THE ELECTION RESULTS
VIRTUALLY GUARANTEE

THAT A COAL TERMINAL WON'T BE
BUILT IN WHATCOM COUNTY.

IT'S A REFRESHING VICTORY

IN WHAT'S OTHERWISE
BEEN A TOUGH FIRST YEAR

AS GOVERNOR FOR JAY INSLEE.

Inslee:
THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKGROUP

IS TO RECOMMEND A STATE PROGRAM
OF ACTIONS AND POLICIES

TO REDUCE
GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS.

Munn:
AS THE WORKGROUP CREATED

BY INSLEE'S CLIMATE ACTION BILL
COMES TO AN END,

THE REPUBLICANS
DON'T EVEN SEEM TO THINK

WASHINGTON STATE SHOULD MEET
ITS EMISSIONS-REDUCTION GOALS.

I'VE HEARD TWO MEMBERS
OF THESE COMMITTEES SAY

IT'S REALLY NOT THAT IMPORTANT
TO MEET THOSE TARGETS,

AND I THINK
IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT --

Short: NO, NO, NO.
EXCUSE ME.

NO, NO, NO.
JUST EXCUSE ME.

NO, NO, YOU STARTED
THIS FIGHT.

THOSE NUMBERS WERE PULLED
OUT OF THE SKY.

THOSE NUMBERS WERE JUST GOALS
TO WORK TOWARD.

WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO MEET THESE GOALS.

DOES NOT EVERYBODY AGREE
WITH THAT?

I MEAN, SERIOUSLY?

Ericksen: WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE
TODAY IS NOT BEING HELPFUL,

AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IT

IF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE DID NOT TRY TO SAY

THAT I AM FOR OR AGAINST
OR FAVOR NO ACTION.

ANYWAY, I ASKED A QUESTION.

I DIDN'T RECEIVE AN ANSWER,
SO WE'LL MOVE ON.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

LET ME PUT A MOTION --
[ CLEARS THROAT ]

Munn:
IT ENDS WITHOUT THE TWO SIDES

COMING TO AN AGREEMENT
ON ANYTHING.

BUT INSTEAD OF BACKING OFF
ON THE ISSUE,

INSLEE DECIDES TO CIRCUMVENT
THE REPUBLICANS

AND DO WHATEVER HE CAN
TO REDUCE EMISSIONS

USING HIS EXECUTIVE POWER
AS GOVERNOR.

OKAY, GANG.

Munn: AND HE SETS HIS SIGHTS
ON AN EVEN BIGGER GOAL.

Man: OREGON AND CALIFORNIA AND
WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA

HAVE GATHERED IN SAN FRANCISCO
TO SIGN AN HISTORIC DOCUMENT.

Munn: HE JOINS FORCES
WITH OTHER GOVERNORS

AND PLEDGES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
ALONG THE ENTIRE WEST COAST.

Inslee:
WE ARE THE FIRST GENERATION

TO FEEL THE STING
OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

AND WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION
THAT CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SO TODAY WE'RE PLEDGING
OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITMENT,

OUR EXECUTIVE POLICIES,
AND OUR ENERGIES

TO DEFEAT CLIMATE CHANGE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

OH! YES!

WE ARE READY,
AREN'T WE?

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?
OKAY, LET'S TRY THAT ONE.

OH, THERE HE IS.
THERE'S A LITTLE GUY GOING.

HE'S MAKING A GETAWAY.

JUST SEEING THAT LOOK
ON HIS FACE,

HE JUST LIGHTS UP.

OKAY,
LET'S PUT HIM BACK.

AND I HAVE
THE SAME EXPERIENCE,

THE SAME SENSE OF JOY
OF JUST SEEING THAT LIFE-FORM.

OKAY, BUDDY. THERE YOU GO.
NOW HE'S HOME.

AND I REALLY DO WANT
MY GRANDSON'S GRANDSON

TO HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE.

THERE YOU GO.

[ LAUGHS ]

THIS VERY MUCH IS TO ME
A LEGACY ISSUE.

THAT'S HOW I THINK OF IT,

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA WIN
THIS BATTLE.