A new select committee on climate is taking shape on Capitol Hill, spurred by the demand from incoming Democratic freshmen for a “Green New Deal” to accelerate the shift to clean energy by 2030. Newly elected Democrats lobbied hard for one of the nine Democratic slots on the committee, while Republicans were mum. Democrats will announce this week who made the cut. Republicans will then name six members to serve on the 15-member committee. Who the GOP chooses is critical, says Melinda Pierce, legislative director for the Sierra Club: “Will they be climate deniers determined to put sand in the gears, or folks at least willing to explore the issue?”