Calls for more climate study only meant to delay action

Regarding climate change: Most of us understand risk, and things we can do to mitigate risk. We take an umbrella if rain is forecast, and we buy insurance for our home and car. We all face a big risk with climate change. The vast majority of climate scientists have concluded that the burning of fossil fuels is contributing to climate change, and the results will be horrific. To mitigate this risk, almost every country on earth has signed on to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, agreeing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are individual and national costs to do this, but these costs are small compared to the impact on the earth, and all of us, if we don’t change our ways.

The people running our federal government are ignoring this very significant risk. President Trump seems totally oblivious to the risk as he has rolled back numerous environmental regulations and is promoting the mining and burning of coal. He has questioned the need for the Paris Agreement. EPA Administrator Pruitt says it is too early to tell if human activity causes climate change and calls for more study (i.e. delay). The Republicans who control the House and Senate are doing the bidding of their corporate sponsors in the energy industry by avoiding the subject entirely. Action is required now. What part of risk mitigation don’t they understand?

Eric Selby

Lake Stevens