Jarboe letter: Climate change

Climate change alone didn’t cause Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma or the wildfires in the West this year. We do know from the models that this is what we can expect if we do nothing.

Some models say we should expect hurricanes with winds over 200 mph by the end of this century. Can you look at your baby or grandchild and imagine what it will be like for her by the time she might want to retire in Florida? Is this what you want for her?

Some people worry about the cost of carbon credits, but Irma alone created over $100 billion of destruction. Harvey’s destruction is even more costly. Wildfires are costing us. It’s impossible to put a price on the trauma and injury people have suffered.

I recently learned of a program in Mexico that used carbon recovery money to fund environmental farming practices in Quintana Roo, south of Cancun. They are suffering droughts due to climate change. Are we really so stingy that we can’t support programs like these to keep destructive CO2 out of the air and keep cultures intact? Wouldn’t a carbon credit system be wiser than footing huge hurricane and fire bills?

This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Jarboe letter: Climate change."