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Climate Oversight: Politics & Climate Research, Side by Side

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The next couple of years could be very interesting for climate policy. With the 112th Congress' Republican-controlled House, the Environmental Protection Agency and climate regulations will likely be put under the microscope (even some would like to see it swept off the plate). For example, incoming chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan would like the EPA's proposed greenhouse gas regulations overturned outright.

Closer to home, Southern California's Darrell Issa, who has stated his belief in zero-emission clean energy generation, promises to give a broad look at regulations put in place by bureaucracy. Climate could definitely be included in that, even if it didn't make his list of top six priorities for his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

While discussions about climate policy will surely be happening at the national level, climate-related research continues to happen right here in our own backyard. Southern California is located in one of the world's seven Mediterranean biomes, which are some of the rarest and most biologically diverse areas on the planet. Because of that, some experts say it could someday be a climate change hotspot.

Throughout the upcoming weeks and months, Climate Oversight will chronicle the climate debates our politicians engage in while detailing the stories of scientists and their research from the field. Please join us in this endeavor by suggesting stories, leaving comments on posts and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

The image on this page was taken by flickr user OrangeCounty_Girl. It is used under a Creative Commons License.

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