Support Citizens Climate Lobby Solution
To the editor:
A recent survey found 2/3rds of Americans believe humans cause climate change. Obama rejected the Keystone X Pipeline. Coal consumption is steeply declining. Renewables are the fastest growing segment of the energy industry. Shell Oil abandoned drilling in the Arctic. The world nations will soon sign a climate treaty. So why worry about climate change?
Good news lulls us into thinking we have solved the climate crisis: Americans, while believers, are not worried about climate change, Keystone, an important symbolic victory, does little to change oil consumption, Shell abandoned the drilling for economic, not environmental reasons, and the climate treaty is the low hanging fruit, leaving the hard work for the future. Despite all the good news we are falling behind what needs to happen for a sustainable future. Without putting a fee on carbon we will still likely get renewable energy programs — but decades too late to stop flooding of coastlines, displacement of billions of people, or collapse of economies and ecosystems.
The simple solution: carbon fee and dividend, proposed by the non-partisan Citizens’ Climate Lobby (cclrfv@gmail.com). Free market friendly and effective, it incentivizes good (renewable), discourages bad (carbon-based) while strengthening the economy, and it can happen quickly.
Peter Wolcott
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