Press Release: Foster Hosts Panel on Climate Change

Aurora, IL - Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) hosted a panel on climate change with leading experts on environmental policy and meteorology. An estimated 400 people attended the event.

The panel featured Tom Skilling, WGN Chief Meteorologist, Doug Sisterson, Research Meteorologist at Argonne National Lab, and Mary Gade, President of Gade Environmental Group. The panel discussed the need to take action on climate change and the effects it will have locally.

"Now more than ever, we need informed constituents who understand the facts and the solutions that are needed to combat this growing threat," Foster said. "That's what is so great about our district – we have people who are willing to take the time to come to events like this one to learn about climate change and what we can do."

Tom Skilling discussed climate change and meteorology. "Either we take the lead in combating climate change—which is costing our country billions in increasingly frequent weather disasters—or we'll lose an opportunity to lead efforts to develop next generation fuels and energy sources," Skilling said.

Mary Gade spoke about the local effects of climate change in Illinois. "If you don't think climate change has come to Illinois talk to a farmer fighting wetter springs, hotter summers and more insects and disease. Talk to a homeowner experiencing basement flooding or a fisherman on Lake Michigan. Climate change is real, it's here now, and it's already causing problems for the Land of Lincoln," Gade said.

Recently, the Paris Agreement was ratified by more than 100 countries to hold average global temperature increase to less than two degrees Celsius.

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