With record heat and drought lasting through September in our area, the climate crisis is emerging more broadly into the public debate — as well as the market-based solution of “Carbon Fee and Dividend” offered by the nonpartisan Citizens Climate Lobby.

Area residents and students who recognize the urgency of climate solutions are invited to the October meeting of the Northeast Tennessee Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL). Join us Saturday, Oct. 12, at 12:45 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 603 Sunset Drive in Johnson City. The meeting room is in the library at the rear of the building, through the courtyard entrance.

Each month, area CCL members view a videoconference featuring nationally known speakers across the political spectrum. On Oct 12, Kiera O’Brien, vice president of Students for Carbon Dividends and the president emeritus of the Harvard Republican Club, is the featured speaker.

Students around the world are emerging as leaders in the effort to reduce emissions. Polls show younger Republican voters are as concerned about climate change as their progressive counterparts, and O’Brien is working to build support among young conservatives for carbon dividend legislation. In congressional testimony she said, “Many climate-oriented groups are rallying around the problem, but Students for Carbon Dividends is rallying around the solution.”

CCL is a nonpartisan national organization focused on building political will for a livable world. For over a decade, CCL has worked with both parties in Congress to build consensus on Carbon Fee and Dividend” — which would price carbon and distribute the funds to American households to offset rising energy costs. Details will be shared at the meeting about H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The revenue-neutral bill — which has more than 60 co-sponsors — prices carbon by the ton, and returns money to all U.S. households in the form of a dividend.

For more information, visit citzensclimatelobby.org.