Out of Saturday’s excellent editorial I get that few see climate change as a problem to be solved. Yet it’s been a known problem for decades.

In 1988, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 topped 350 parts per million. That was considered a “safe” level of carbon dioxide by scientists, climate experts, and government officials, despite being 70 ppm above pre-industrial levels.

The U.S. Senate, warned of increasing dangers, did nothing. Even now, congressional conservatives can’t get with a “conservative climate solution based on free-market principles” advocated by three of President Reagan’s former cabinet members, and 3,600 U.S. economists.

That solution, sometimes known as “Cashback Carbon Pricing” would provide cash to you and me, funded by steadily increasing pricing of fossil fuel emissions. We, and manufacturers, would choose the cheaper energy option, with clean now cheaper.

And then, just think. Earth’s atmospheric CO2 is now up at 420 ppm. So we also need to remove “legacy greenhouse gasses” that are still up there continuing to warm our world. Label that “Climate Restoration.”

Please write or call your members of Congress to tell them.

 

Peter Garrett

Winslow

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