Trump and climate

It is significant that on November 6 you published the Reuters article “27 dead as floods sweep into Vietnam” directly below “Chinese looking to grasp climate leadership following US pullout” (International News), while in the Business & Finance section you published “Slash emissions faster, climate experts urge,” with the experts warning that “countries urgently need to step up their ambitions to cut emissions if they are to keep global warming within safe limits.”

The tragedy in Vietnam is just the latest severe climate event that appears to be happening at least weekly while US President Donald Trump and most congressional Republicans are in denial about climate change, seemingly doing everything possible to destroy all the recent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Many Jerusalem Post readers seem to support Trump because they believe he is good for Israel, despite his failure to carry out his promise to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and his pressuring Israel regarding the expansion of settlements. They ignore how Trump’s failure to address climate threats can be harmful to Israel.

Israel is now in its third year of drought. The Sea of Galilee at a nearly record low level, and aquifers are also at very low levels, threatening our water supply even with the benefits of desalination. Because there is more moisture in a warmer atmosphere, when rains do come, it is often in the form of heavy storms that cause major and dangerous flooding.

The coastal plain, which contains much of Israel’s population and infrastructure, is in danger of being inundated by a rising Mediterranean Sea. In addition, military experts believe there will be greater threats of violence, terrorism and war as the Middle East becomes even hotter and dryer.

Based on this and much more, it is time to challenge Trump and other politicians to make averting a climate catastrophe a central focus. BATZION SHLOMI

Afula