The Climate-Change Emergency Is Coming for You – WSJ

Last month President Biden was asked on the Weather Channel if he was ready to declare a national climate emergency and responded, We ve already done that. Asked again if he declared a climate emergency, he said, Practically speaking, yes. There is no official emergency, but the president certainly thinks we need one.

The fawning press gave him a break he didn t really mean that, did he? But the notion of a national emergency today isn t farfetched. The United Nations website blares: What you need to know about the Climate Emergency. The European Parliament has declared one. So have hundreds of jurisdictions in at least 39 countries, including the U.K., Canada, Japan and Bangladesh. Climate-activist teenager Greta Thunberg gave away the game in 2019 when she said, I want you to panic, and, I want you to act as if you would in a crisis. Emergencies are an excuse to do whatever you want.

U.S. presidents can declare national emergencies, as spelled out in the 1976 National Emergencies Act, but they must be explicit: When the President declares a national emergency, no powers or authorities made available by statute for use in the event of an emergency shall be exercised unless and until the President specifies the provisions of law under which he proposes that he, or other officers will act. I ve searched far and wide for such provisions and can t find them.

No matter, we re living as if we re already under emergency conditions. As of Aug. 1, the Biden administration has halted the sale of lightbulbs with less than 45 lumens of brightness per watt. Incandescent bulbs don t make the cut and are now banned. Thomas Alva Edison is rolling over in his grave. Will electricity be rationed next?

via www.wsj.com