Each of the Griffin Policy Forum panelists agreed global climate change is real and that Michigan should take action.

“Michigan is in a unique position to develop and employ innovative solutions for climate change,” said Michael Witt, panelist and program director of Energy & Climate Change for Dow Chemical Company.

Lana Pollack, president of the Michigan Environmental Council, agreed.

“Climate change is here,” Pollack said. “What are we going to do with it? What is the risk of not investing in it?”

About 600 people attended the forum, “Can Climate Change Heat Up Michigan’s Economy?” on Wednesday at Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. Other panelists included Jon Allan, manager of Consumers Energy’s environmental and laboratory services, and Jim Croce, chief executive officer of NextEnergy.

Steven Chester, director of Michigan Environmental Quality, moderated by asking pre-written questions and others submitted by the audience.

Croce said one of the keys to fixing global warming is energy efficiency, which also is the cheapest way to fix global warming.

“We have not promoted energy efficiency in over 10 years,” Croce said. “It is a real cultural lifestyle challenge. Public policy will have to drive it.”

Pollack said public policy is the most effective way of making changes.

“We need to elect people to office who will change how we spend our money,” Pollack said.

When discussing renewable energy, Pollack asked Allan if Consumers Energy charged a premium for renewable energy, and Allan admitted it does.

“We shouldn’t have dirty energy customers being subsidized by clean energy customers,” Pollack said.

Bill Ballenger, editor of Inside Michigan Politics and former Griffin Endowed Chair, attended the event.

“Obviously, a lot of talent and expertise delved into every facet of alternative energy,” Ballenger said.

Croce said the goal at his company, NextEnergy, is to utilize innovation to bring jobs to Michigan.

“We have thousands of jobs,” Croce said. “There’s jobs to be had, particularly if you look at innovation in the automotive sector.”

The Robert and Marjorie Griffin Policy Forum is a biannual event hosted by the Griffin Endowed Chair of American Government, currently held by Gary Peters.

Caledonia senior Philip Coon said the forum ran very well.

“I would have liked a little more disagreement,” Coon said. “It was very civil, and could have lasted longer.”

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