GLOBAL ACTIONS NEEDED
It is important we do the right thing, not just do something. If we don’t do the big things, the small things don’t count for much, even if they are useful and commendable. The small things by themselves can’t do enough to stop global warming. So, what are the big, must-do actions?
The U.S. federal government needs to acknowledge that global warming is real, is an immediate danger, and that something can and should be done about it.
The scientific information supports this conclusion. In November 2018, the U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program issued Climate Science Special Report, stating that “It’s extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. There is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence.” This report was a joint effort of thirteen federal government agencies including the Departments of Defense and Energy plus the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution.
In a separate announcement, the Presidents of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine stated that “Scientists have known for some time, from multiple lines of evidence, that humans are changing Earth’s climate, primarily through greenhouse gas emissions. The evidence on the impacts of climate change is also clear and growing. The atmosphere and the Earth’s oceans are warming, the magnitude and frequency of certain extreme events are increasing, and sea level is rising along our coasts.” They stated “A solid foundation of scientific evidence on climate change exists. It should be recognized, built upon, and most importantly, acted upon for the benefit of society.”
The biggest single thing that the U.S. could do to demonstrate that it is serious and also to set an example for others, is to implement a national carbon fee. Charging a fee for carbon emissions is part of getting the incentives right. As the cost of carbon emissions is increased, renewable alternatives become more attractive to energy users without needing subsidies.
The U.S. can’t expect other countries to do more than what the U.S. is willing to do. The world can’t get to Net Zero if the U.S. doesn’t get there. Political parties have to make this a bipartisan issue and work together, no matter what their other interests and differences are. The U.S., China, India and other major countries need to start discussing ways that they can lead the international effort to address climate change on a global basis. This can be done within the framework of the Paris Agreement.