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PLAINS, Ga. — During his presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter made a distinctive choice regarding his branding colors, opting for green instead of the traditional red, white, and blue.
This decision highlighted the Georgia Democrat’s deep appreciation for nature and his commitment to environmental policies, making the color a prominent feature throughout his campaign materials, including buttons, bumper stickers, and brochures, as well as during the celebration of his 1976 election victory.
“The moment it was announced, we all were ready with our green shirts,” recalled LeAnne Smith, Carter’s niece, reminiscing about the joyful occasion.
Nearly 50 years later, environmental advocates are paying tribute to Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, recognizing his efforts to promote environmental stewardship, energy conservation, and awareness of the alarming increases in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
As political tides shift with President-elect Donald Trump’s intentions to roll back renewable energy initiatives from President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the scientific community largely aligns with the views Carter held decades ago.
“Carter was ahead of his time by about forty years,” stated Manish Bapna, head of the Natural Resources Defense Council. He noted that Carter advocated for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions long before the term “climate change” became part of common discourse.
Emphasizing energy efficiency, Carter made significant strides during his presidency, such as establishing the first efficiency standards for vehicles and household appliances and founding the U.S. Department of Energy, which facilitated energy research.
Under his leadership, the National Park Service’s wilderness protections expanded, and he encouraged Americans to consider energy conservation through personal sacrifices such as reducing car travel and lowering thermostats during winter amid global oil shortages.
In hindsight, many lament actions that the 39th President could have taken or didn’t pursue before losing to Ronald Reagan.
Carter departed from the White House in 1981 shortly after receiving a report that connected fossil fuel consumption to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. His environmental advisors called for immediate action to slash fossil fuel use, which was a notion largely unrecognized in official government discussions worldwide up to that point.
“No one in a significant government role was speaking about this issue before Carter,” said biographer Jonathan Alter.
Although the White House shared these findings, they received minimal media attention, leading to limited immediate action before Carter’s term ended, aside from the energy legislation he managed to pass.
The report recommended capping global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius (approximately 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, a goal echoed 35 years later in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
“Had he been reelected, we likely would have seen significant steps taken toward addressing climate change in the early 1980s,” Alter added, emphasizing the poignancy of his political defeat.
Ronald Reagan subsequently curtailed discussions regarding carbon emissions, condemned energy efficiency standards, and repealed several regulations, deriding Carter’s solar panels as trivial.
Despite Carter’s focus on renewable energy, the fossil fuel sector also prospered during this time, with coal-powered plants constructed throughout his presidency, coupled with the deregulation of natural gas production, which set the stage for significant fracking activities.
While environmental experts acknowledge some missteps, they emphasize that Carter’s priorities on research and development were indeed impactful, providing a cohesive national strategy.
Carter’s environmental perspective stemmed from his upbringing in rural Georgia, where he loved hunting, fishing, and working on his family’s farm.
“Carter was an environmentalist before it even entered mainstream political dialogue,” remarked Dubose Porter, a veteran Georgia Democratic leader.
His formative experiences as governor guided his efforts to enhance Georgia’s state parks system and prevent detrimental river dam projects, choosing instead to prioritize the natural state.
In Washington, he continued to challenge funding for harmful projects and succeeded in extending federal protections over more than 150 million acres, including expansive areas in Alaska and vital redwood forests.
It is noted by scholars that Carter viewed stewardship of natural resources as a divine responsibility, a sentiment that resonates with many young evangelicals today.
Elected amid an energy crisis driven by geopolitical turmoil, Carter’s policies intertwined national security concerns with his spirituality and environmental care.
He famously compared the energy crisis to “the moral equivalent of war” and, faced with inflation and fuel shortages, he called for profound personal and collective action towards renewable energy development.
“Our identity has shifted from what we do to what we own,” Carter remarked in 1979, critiquing the prevailing consumer culture.
Although labeled as a “malaise” speech by the press, it aimed to challenge American materialism, drawing in over 100 million viewers. Carter later reflected in his “White House Diary” that while not well-received at the time, it pointed to a necessary pathway for energy reform.
“The legacy of Carter’s presidency is still influencing us today,” declared Washington Governor Jay Inslee, who centered his 2020 presidential campaign on environmental issues, highlighting the timeliness of Carter’s message and its enduring relevance today.
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