John Warner's global warming message

NORFOLK, Va. - Former U.S. Senator John Warner is beginning his second life in the public arena. He is pushing the issue of global warming. Using his vast experiences, including 30 years in the U.S. Senate, Warner has an amazing ability to bring this issue home.

Sen. Warner spoke before the PEW project on National Security, energy, and climate. His point was if you think global warming isn't an issue in Hampton Roads...think again.

You only need to look at the melting ice caps to see global warming, which is aided and abetted by what happens here in Hampton Roads. Virginia puts out more warming gases every year than Pakistan, Greece, and Egypt.

Virginia's Secretary of Natural Resources, Preston Bryant, says global warming affects us all. "If you own a house, if you care about the ports, if you care about the military installations, if you care about your insurance rates in flood zones, then you ought to pay attention," he said.

Warner spoke about rising temperatures, and bugs that aren't killed in what should be colder winters. They live through the winters, and multiply, and are so great in number the bugs overpopulate and destroy forests. "Now the whole forest is gone," Warner told the crowd of 100 at the Chrysler Museum.

Global warming trickles down to military bases, and to our friends and neighbors who serve in the military. "Who are the individuals that respond to serious problems in the world? Who takes out the injured when global warming disasters strike? Who brings in the doctors on helicopters? The men and women using military equipment, that's who," Warner said.

Global warming climate affects the political climate too. They are connected, says Retired Admiral John Nathman, who most recently commanded all U.S. Fleet Forces from February 2005 until May 2007. "It's not hard to connect climate change to insecurities around the world. To drought, to famine, to poverty, to failed states, to terrorism...they all are connected to environmental changes in the world," he said.

"I'm traveling over the United States," Warner told the crowd. Senator Warner travels the world talking about global warming. He also brings his vast military background to connect the global issue to Hampton Roads.