By Reed Hundt

As the climate warms, we find ourselves losing the crisp beauty of the New England summer, stifling in the swamp of Washington, and running up tremendous air conditioning bills as we try to escape the heat. More seriously, heat waves across the country are claiming lives and bringing other adverse health effects. National Weather Service data show that thanks to warming temperatures, the Boston of today feels like the New York of the 20th century. It’s time to invest public money in accelerating the inevitable energy transition from carbon to the clean. The National Climate Bank Act introduced by Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut is a critical step in that direction.

“By this measure, the Boston of today feels like the New York of the 20th century. Washington is on its way to resembling the Memphis of old. And Miami is more like Dallas used to be.”

See today’s post from David Leonhardt at the NYT for more on how extreme heat is affecting the country.