Buttigieg Faces Criticism for Blaming Transportation Crises on Climate Change

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's attribution of recent weather-related transportation disruptions to climate change has sparked controversy, with critics dismissing the claims as politicization and misattribution.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's assertion that climate change is responsible for transportation crises and recent flight turbulence has drawn criticism from GOP lawmakers and climate analysts, who argue that weather and public transit issues are being politicized.

Buttigieg's comments on CBS' "Face the Nation" linked the effects of climate change to severe weather events and incidents of extreme turbulence on airplanes, prompting a backlash from critics.

Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, dismissed Buttigieg's claims, accusing him of playing "identity politics" and being out of touch with the concerns of Americans.

Energy analyst Alex Epstein, a former Cato Institute scholar, similarly rejected the notion that climate is meaningfully affecting transportation, instead blaming "terrible climate policy" for the issues. Epstein highlighted the EPA's new pollution standards, which he believes will force Americans to drive inferior cars and strain the electricity grid.

Climate expert Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Heritage Foundation Center for Energy, Climate and the Environment, pointed to the increased number of airline flights as a factor in the reported rise in turbulence. She also dismissed the idea that climate change is responsible, arguing that even if the United States halted all fossil fuel use immediately, it would only reduce global temperatures by a negligible amount by 2100.

Despite these criticisms, the Department of Transportation cited a 2019 study in Nature magazine that found a link between climate change and increased airline turbulence. The study's co-author, University of Reading atmospheric science professor Paul Williams, indicated that wind shear, a primary cause of clear-air turbulence, has strengthened by 15% since the 1970s due to climate change.

However, critics have remained unconvinced, arguing that social media and connectivity on planes have contributed to the increased reporting of turbulence incidents. They also raised concerns about the politicization of weather and public transportation systems.

Requests for comment from the House Transportation Committee's top Republican, Sam Graves, and top Democrat, Rick Larsen, went unanswered, as did calls placed to Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The controversy surrounding Buttigieg's statements highlights the ongoing debate over the causes of transportation disruptions and the role of climate change. As the climate continues to change, it remains to be seen how the transportation sector will adapt and address the challenges it poses.