A Green Response

Dear Editor:

My reply to the Climate Change denier (Joe).

Hi Joe, thank you for reading my article and providing your feedback. My intent is not to scare people but to make them aware of this critical issue that threatens all of us. Regarding the children, based on a recent visit to a neighborhood grammar school’s science fair, it was clear that climate change was a focal point of the event. So that means the kids already understand what climate change is all about and maybe the rest of us need to get up to speed on the subject.

I have read the National Climate Assessments and IPCC reports and see the following information from their websites.

Excerpts from the ‘National Climate Assessments’ website below nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/our-changing-climate

“Global climate is changing, and this is apparent across the United States in a wide range of observations. The global warming of the past 50 years is primarily due to human activities, predominantly the burning of fossil fuels. Researchers from around the world have compiled this evidence using satellites, weather balloons, thermometers at surface stations, and many other types of observing systems that monitor the Earth’s weather and climate. The sum total of this evidence tells an unambiguous story: the planet is warming.”

Excerpts from ‘IPCC’ website below – www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr

“The Warning – Pace and scale of climate action are insufficient to tackle climate change.”

“Adverse impacts from human-caused change will intensify.”

“The Hope – Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action now will reduce losses and damages Multiple, feasible and effective options are available to reduce GHG emissions Climate action provides co-benefits. Sixth Assessment Report | Synthesis Report for nature and people. and adapt to human-caused climate change”

“The Challenge – Cut emissions quickly, sharply to create a safer, sustainable world • Scale up practices and infrastructure to enhance resilience • Cut global GHG emissions by nearly half by 2030 • Action required along numerous dimensions.”

Final thoughts – ‘Denial’ happens when climate science rubs us the wrong way. Instead of making us want to tackle the climate crisis, it makes us resist the very thought of it, because the facts of global warming clash with our personal projects. It may also be that the idea of climate change is a threat to your worldview or possible disruption to your lifestyle. Either way, climate change becomes such an inconvenient truth that instead of acting upon our worries, we suppress the truth.

Tom Last