As voters head to the polls next week, climate change and environmental concerns weigh heavily on the minds of many. Recent events, including devastating hurricanes wreaking havoc throughout Florida and North Carolina, highlight the growing climate crisis and the need for action.
Michigan State University researchers from the College of Natural Science say the results of the upcoming election will influence everything from crop resilience and bioenergy to clean energy and species protection. While the presidential election is at the forefront, possible changes to the makeup of the U.S. House and Senate, as well as other down-ballot offices, could also impact policies important to addressing climate change and protecting the environment.
MSU experts can comment on policies and issues impacting the environment that will be influenced by the Nov. 5 election.
Christoph Benning is a University Distinguished Professor and an MSU Research Foundation Professor in plant science. He also serves as director of the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory.
Contact: benning@msu.edu
“The change in climate we are currently experiencing will negatively affect the agricultural production of food, feed and fuels unless we explore and take advantage of plants’ resilience mechanism. Basic plant science as practiced at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory and other MSU institutions is at the forefront of finding ways to mitigate the effects of climate change on agricultural production. To succeed, this type of research needs the continued support and investment of state and federal funding agencies as well as everyday persons concerned about the future of our food supply.”
Federica Brandizzi is a University Distinguished Professor and an MSU Research Foundation Professor in plant science. She also serves as the scientific director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.
Contact: fb@msu.edu
“Federal support for photosynthesis research is a cornerstone in advancing food security and renewable bioenergy solutions. Policies that fund sustainable agriculture and renewable energy research, especially through federal agencies, are critical to developing resilient crops and enhancing our carbon capture capabilities. If federal commitments in these areas are reduced, it could slow progress on the stability of food systems, environmental resilience and sustainable bioenergy. With climate impacts on agriculture intensifying, the stakes for continued federal support in this research couldn’t be higher.”
Anthony Kendall is an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and AgBioResearch, who focuses on the terrestrial hydrologic cycle and its relationship to climate, vegetation and biogeochemical cycles.
Contact: kendal30@msu.edu
“Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have weakened environmental regulations and the authority of federal agencies tasked with stewarding our natural resources. Last year, in Sackett v. United States, the court removed federal protections from wetlands not directly connected to navigable waterways, disregarding science that demonstrates the importance of groundwater and surface water interactions. This year’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo undercut much of the authority of federal agencies to make rules that elaborate and clarify often vague and incomplete statutes. Looking forward, next year’s docket brings further cases, including a challenge to the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act. Left unchecked, our judiciary is dismantling decades of precedent and practice that have protected and cleaned our water and air. We need to elect representatives, senators and a president who will clarify and strengthen laws protecting our environment and the resources it provides us.”
Christine Sprunger is an associate professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences. She also serves as interim associate director of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station.
Contact: sprunge5@msu.edu
“It’s critical that the Farm Bill be extended. The Farm Bill, which has not been updated since 2018, authorizes crucial funding for supporting conservation programs administered by the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. These programs incentivize farmers to adopt practices that enhance environmental outcomes such as soil health, water quality, biodiversity and climate mitigation. The Farm Bill also plays an important role in authorizing funding for critical agricultural research activities related to these efforts, directly impacting the U.S.’s ability to design and develop sustainable farming systems that are resilient in the face of future climate change.”
Edward Walker is a University Distinguished Professor in the departments of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology as well as Entomology. He’s also a professor in the BioMolecular Science Gateway.
Contact: walker@msu.edu
“Climate change and its attendant warming processes directly impact the emergence and spread of insect-borne diseases, especially mosquito transmitted viruses. As our climate warms, the geographic range of many mostly tropical viruses (such as West Nile virus or dengue viruses) and the mosquitoes that carry them expands to include more and more of the semitropical and temperate regions. Warm temperatures elevate transmission by shortening the incubation interval time of the viruses in the bodies of these mosquitoes too. These relationships highlight the importance of a transnational, global world view and emphasize the importance of policies favoring international collaborations and cooperation, leading to important actions such as cooperative international surveillance, one health and global health.”
Elise Zipkin is a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor of integrative biology and director of the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program. She also runs the Zipkin Quantitative Ecology Lab, which develops statistical models to unravel some the of the world’s most alarming natural mysteries at the intersection of ecology, conservation biology and biodiversity.
Contact: ezipkin@msu.edu
“Biodiversity loss is a problem across states and our country as a whole. People depend on plants, microbes and animals for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Yet we are losing species at rates that rival the major mass extinction events on our planet. The U.S. plays an important role in setting policies and creating laws that conserve and protect biodiversity from local to global scales. Our leaders and the federal government, in particular, are responsible for making sure future generations have the necessary resources to thrive.”
