Climate impacts on Montana's outdoor economy: a vital voting consideration | Alex Amonette
Fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing, wildlife watching, scenic driving, and camping are unique draws for visitors to Montana. Our outdoor recreation industry generates billions of dollars and thousands of jobs.
But climate impacts threaten our outdoor economy for visitors and residents alike. Low-river flows and warm waters have closed iconic destinations like the Big Hole River. Smoke from wildfires reduces wildlife-viewing and hiking/camping/fishing opportunities.
Warmer temperatures reduce snowpack, leading to a shortened winter sports season and hurting mountain economies. Ski resorts are facing higher operating costs as they rely more on artificial snowmaking to extend the season. Outdoor events, like the West Yellowstone Ski Festival, have been cancelled due to a lack of snow.
More rain-on-snow events increase the chances of spring flooding like the 2023 flood. We're facing reduced late-summer water availability due to earlier spring runoff.
Historically, political campaigns have emphasized the economy as the primary issue that sways voters. In the current political landscape, climate change needs to be on the same level as the economy, not just because it's urgent, but because it's inextricably linked to our economic health.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, costly, and disruptive. Severe thunderstorms with winds exceeding 100 mph swept through Missoula and Carter Counties this summer, causing widespread damage to crops, trees, homes, grain bins, outbuildings, and power lines.
The U.S. was hit with a historic number of billion-dollar disasters last year; a billion-dollar weather or climate disaster was reported on average every two weeks. Hurricane Helene is another clear example of climate instability. Global warming-worsened weather extremes are rendering homeowner insurance unprofitable.
No matter our political persuasion, we all care about what the future holds for our families and the folks we love. We cannot ignore how climate change will impact their quality of life and well-being.
A recent report estimates it will cost children born today somewhere between $500,000 and $1 million per person due to a combination of cost-of-living increases and reduced earnings. We're already feeling the pinch as a changing climate reduces crop yields, raises food prices, and disrupts shipping routes. A new study estimates that rising temperatures may cause food prices to increase by up to 3.2% per year by 2035 and further exacerbate inflation and economic instability.
The longer we fail to reduce climate pollution, the more costly the consequences. A 2024 study in Nature found that climate damage could be six times higher than the cost of reducing carbon pollution by 2050.
Most candidates for federal and state office in Montana have yet to present clear climate solutions, and neither presidential candidate has prioritized it, despite the national economic impacts.
I encourage all of those running for office in Montana to outline their plans for reducing climate pollution and creating clean-energy jobs. For those already in office, what's your plan?
We need to put partisan differences aside and unite to create a healthy environment and safe climate in which we all can thrive. Some members of Congress, such as Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have been working in the Conservative Climate Caucus and the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions caucus, respectively. I urge our MT Members of Congress to join them.
A strong Montana outdoor industry and our state's economy depends on addressing this issue now. Climate solutions, such as a carbon price + cashback payment, clean-energy permitting reform, building electrification and efficiencies, and healthy forest policies are economically essential, technically feasible, and fiscally responsible.
Alex Amonette volunteers with Citizens' Climate Lobby, a national nonpartisan volunteer climate solutions organization with several chapters and 3000 volunteers in Montana (see cclusa.org ).
