I’m a conservative — and I care about the climate, too | Danielle Butcher Franz

Summary

TED Talks Daily: Episode Summary

Episode: I’m a conservative — and I care about the climate, too | Danielle Butcher Franz
Release Date: January 20, 2025
Host: TED (Elise Hu)
Speaker: Danielle Butcher Franz

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of TED Talks Daily, host Elise Hu introduces Danielle Butcher Franz, a conservative climate champion who challenges the traditional political silos surrounding environmental activism. Danielle's unique perspective bridges the often-divisive gap between conservative and progressive ideologies, advocating for bipartisan cooperation to address climate change effectively.

"Something that might sound counterintuitive today or surprising. Danielle Butcher Franz is a conservative climate champion." — Elise Hu [02:32]

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Personal Journey and Political Realignment

Danielle opens her talk by engaging the audience with a relatable question, highlighting the common experience of political disagreement within personal circles.

"So I'm curious, and if you'll all indulge me, could I please see a show of hands of how many of you have ever disagreed with your political party of choice?" — Danielle Butcher Franz [02:32]

Growing up in a small rural town in northern Minnesota, Danielle developed a profound connection with the environment through activities like hunting and fishing with her father. This early commitment to conservation laid the foundation for her environmental advocacy.

As Danielle matured, her political views began to diverge from her progressive family, aligning more with the Republican Party on issues such as abortion, the economy, regulations, and markets. Despite this shift, her dedication to environmental stewardship remained unwavering, creating tension within her family and traditional environmental circles.

"As you can imagine, in a town that small, people spend a lot of time outdoors... I spent a lot of time in the woods hunting with my dad, which is where my passion for the environment was born." — Danielle Butcher Franz [02:32]

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Challenges Within Political and Environmental Circles

Danielle reflects on the cultural and political divides that hinder effective climate action. She observes that environmentalists often neglect the concerns of key constituencies like farmers, hunters, and rural Americans, alienating potential allies.

On the political right, she notes a growing skepticism or outright denial of climate change, with some labeling it a "Chinese hoax."

"The left... were quick to point fingers at the right instead of trying to find ways that we could work together." — Danielle Butcher Franz [04:15]

"Comments about climate change being a Chinese hoax did very little to encourage constructive dialogue across the aisle." — Danielle Butcher Franz [05:00]

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Realizing the Need for Bipartisan Collaboration

Danielle articulates a pivotal realization: solving climate change requires collaboration beyond partisan lines. She emphasizes that relying on a single political party or ideology is insufficient, especially given the dynamic nature of electoral politics.

"Climate change will not be solved by one political party, one ideology, or one movement." — Danielle Butcher Franz [06:30]

Acknowledging the fluidity of political power, she underscores the necessity of building coalitions that transcend party affiliations to ensure sustained climate action.

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Founding the American Conservation Coalition (ACC)

In response to these challenges, Danielle co-founded the American Conservation Coalition (ACC) in 2017. The ACC brings together young Republicans dedicated to environmental issues, providing a platform to advocate for climate action without compromising their conservative values.

"We were founded by a group of young Republicans who wanted to see conservatives engaging productively on environmental issues." — Danielle Butcher Franz [07:10]

The ACC focuses on two main strategies: changing the narrative around climate action within the Republican Party and influencing key policymakers to adopt environmentally responsible policies.

"Changing the narrative is twofold... we combat these narratives by publishing op-eds, appearing in media, and amplifying the voices of conservatives who believe these issues are serious and need to be taken seriously." — Danielle Butcher Franz [08:00]

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Impact and Achievements

Danielle highlights the significant impact of the ACC, noting extensive media presence and widespread influence. The coalition has been featured in over 3,000 media appearances, reaching hundreds of millions through social media platforms.

A notable milestone was Danielle's interview with conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly, where she discussed conservative climate solutions. O'Reilly acknowledged the importance of changing hearts and minds, signaling broader acceptance within conservative circles.

"Conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly invited me on his show to talk about conservative climate solutions, even noted that he was glad to see us changing hearts and minds." — Danielle Butcher Franz [08:30]

The ACC has also cultivated a robust membership base of over 60,000 young conservatives committed to environmental action, alongside partnerships with eco-right groups like Deploy, US Clearpath, and the Conservative Energy Network.

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Policy Proposals and Future Directions

Danielle outlines the ACC's policy agenda, advocating for market-driven approaches to climate change. These include:

• Permitting Reform: Streamlining processes to accelerate the development of cleaner energy projects.
• Embracing Nuclear Energy: Leveraging nuclear power as a reliable and low-carbon energy source.
• Exporting Clean American Energy: Promoting the export of clean energy to reduce global carbon emissions while bolstering the US economy.

"We advocate for things like fewer regulations and more emphasis on entrepreneurship, knowing that we need all hands on deck to solve this problem." — Danielle Butcher Franz [09:15]

By focusing on these strategies, the ACC aims to demonstrate that Republicans can lead the charge in climate action without resorting to heavy-handed government intervention.

"Things like permitting reform... embracing nuclear energy... will not only help reduce global carbon emissions, but also grow the US Economy." — Danielle Butcher Franz [09:45]

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Conclusion: A Call for Unified Action

Danielle concludes her talk by reiterating the necessity of bipartisan cooperation in combating climate change. She asserts that while conservatives and progressives may differ on methods, their shared commitment to the environment provides a foundation for meaningful collaboration.

"While conservatives and progressives may not always agree on the best ways to address climate change, we can find common ground in our shared commitment to the environment." — Danielle Butcher Franz [09:50]

Her final message is a heartfelt invitation to engage constructively, emphasizing that solving the climate crisis requires unified efforts across political divides.

"All we're asking, and all that I'm asking is that you meet us there. Thank you." — Danielle Butcher Franz [10:00]

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Closing Remarks

Elise Hu wraps up the episode by acknowledging Danielle's impactful presentation at TED Countdown's Dilemma event in Brussels, encouraging listeners to explore more about TED's curation.

"That was Danielle Butcher Franz at TED Countdown's Dilemma event in Brussels." — Elise Hu [10:00]

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Key Takeaways:

• Bipartisan Necessity: Addressing climate change effectively requires collaboration across political parties.
• Changing Narratives: Reframing climate action within conservative frameworks can bridge ideological divides.
• Policy Innovation: Market-driven and entrepreneurial approaches offer viable solutions without excessive regulation.
• Youth Engagement: Young conservatives are pivotal in driving forward-thinking environmental policies.
• Unified Commitment: Shared environmental goals can unite diverse political perspectives for collective action.

Danielle Butcher Franz's talk serves as a powerful reminder that overcoming climate change is not confined to any single political ideology. Instead, it calls for a united front where diverse voices and ideas converge to forge sustainable solutions for the future.

Transcript

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[Elise Hu]

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Il Hue. Something that might sound counterintuitive today or surprising. Danielle Butcher Franz is a conservative climate champion. That is, she does not align with progressive politics, but believes climate issues need to be taken seriously. In her 2024 talk, she reminds us that the key to action on this most pressing issue is coalition building and finding ways to engage on policy changes and reforms in good faith with people who might disagree on other fronts.

[Danielle Butcher Franz]

So I'm curious, and if you'll all indulge me, could I please see a show of hands of how many of you have ever disagreed with your political party of choice? Okay, so it looks like we are in pretty good company here. I grew up in the US In a small town in rural northern Minnesota, and my hometown was so small, in fact, that it was a big deal when our population hit 300. As you can imagine, in a town that small, people spend a lot of time outdoors Summers are typically spent in the water, swimming, fishing, and kayaking, and winters are typically spent on the water, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and ice skating. As for me, I spent a lot of time in the woods hunting with my dad, which is where my passion for the environment was born. Dad and I agreed early on that conservation was a shared value. We agreed that climate change was happening, and we agreed that something needed to be done about it. As I got older, however, in terms of politics, my views began to shift away from those of my progressive family, and I found myself aligning a little bit more closely with the Republican Party on issues like abortion, the economy, regulations, and markets. While these views didn't change my commitment to environmental stewardship or climate change, they did often put me at odds with my progressive family members and left me feeling out of place in environmental circles. Around the family dinner table, Republicans were often referred to in a derogatory way. And while I love my family, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who's ever had to tune out the political rantings of another family member at the dinner table. Now, in my view, my family dinner table became emblematic of a larger cultural problem that we face. I often felt that environmentalists were overlooking or outright rejecting the concerns of very important constituencies like farmers, hunters, traditional energy workers, and rural Americans. They certainly were engaging productively with industry, and it felt that they were quick to point fingers at the right instead of trying to find ways that we could work together. Now, despite my frustration with the left, I admit my newfound political party had a lot of work to do. Republicans were increasingly engaging in debating climate science, oftentimes skeptical or outright antagonistic toward climate change. And comments about climate change being a Chinese hoax did very little to encourage constructive dialogue across the aisle. It was then that it hit me that both the left and right were stalling climate change in their own ways. On the left, we saw purity tests and an unwillingness to engage with different ideas. And on the right, we saw outright rejection. And I soon realized that we couldn't leave climate change to one political party alone. In fact, climate change will not be solved by one political party, one ideology, or one movement. Between now and 2050, the US will decide six presidential elections and several more congressional turnovers. I know other countries will also have their own transitions of power, which means that between now and then, it would be so foolish to assume that one party could retain power through it all and single handedly solve climate change. So what does that mean for us? Well, it means we have to find ways to work together or climate change will continue to be an issue that we face and get worse. This is what led me in 2017 to co found the American Conservation Coalition. We were founded by a group of young Republicans who wanted to see conservatives engaging productively on environmental issues and provide them a platform where they could talk about these issues in a way that didn't betray their dearly held values. And as it turns out, young Republicans are already on board. In fact, 81% of young conservatives believe that the climate is changing and want to see it addressed. We knew that these young Americans deserved a seat at the table and that their voices could be useful in pushing the party forward on climate change. We've decided that our work can be most effective in two ways. Changing the narrative and influencing those who have influence. And I want to be clear that changing the narrative is twofold. Because while many on the left believe that all Republicans are climate deniers, many on the right also believe that all climate action is a Trojan horse for big government policies that they don't support and don't agree with. So at acc, we combat these narratives by publishing op eds, appearing in media, and amplifying the voices of conservatives who believe these issues are serious and need to be taken seriously. This helps reframe the way that Republicans view these issues and shows the left that conservatives do care, even if in their own way. I knew our message was resonating and far reaching when Conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly invited me on his show to talk about conservative climate solutions, even noted that he was glad to see us changing hearts and minds. Now, since our founding, we've appeared in media over 3,000 times, reached hundreds of millions across social media, and oftentimes hear our talking points echoed by other conservative leaders in the movement. Politicians like Congressman John Curtis of Utah helped prove that it's possible to be a Republican who cares about climate change. He recently won his senatorial primary in a landslide, not just as a Republican who talks about climate change, but as a Republican who founded the Conservative Climate Caucus and acts on climate change. Many conservatives often view climate change as an electoral liability, and Congressman Curtis proves that it can be an asset. So we work with policymakers like Congressman Curtis to champion an innovative, market driven approach to climate change. We advocate for things like fewer regulations and more emphasis on entrepreneurship, knowing that we need all hands on deck to solve this problem. We think that on the policy front, Republicans actually have a lot to offer. Things like permitting reform to build cleaner energy projects, things like embracing nuclear energy and things like exporting clean American energy to our friends and allies around the world will not only help reduce global carbon emissions, but also grow the US Economy. To the surprise of many, we're not alone in this work. And I'm proud to report that ACC now has over 60,000 members across the country who are young conservatives that want to see action on this issue. And we also work with a broad coalition of eco right groups such as Deploy, US Clearpath, and the Conservative Energy Network. Internationally, we're proud to work with organizations in the uk, Canada and Australia who are doing similar work in their respective countries. While conservatives and progressives may not always agree on the best ways to address climate change, we can find common ground in our shared commitment to the environment. And while there's still work to be done, there are Republicans who want to come to the table and engage on climate in good faith. All we're asking, and all that I'm asking is that you meet us there. Thank you.

[Elise Hu]

That was Danielle Butcher Franz at TED Countdown's Dilemma event in Brussels. If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at Ted.comCurationGuidelines and that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Greene, Autumn Thompson and Alejandra Salazar. It was mixed by Christopher Faizy Bogan. Additional support from Emma Topner and Daniela Balaurazo. I'm Elise Hu. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feet. Thanks for listening.

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