On carbon emissions

Recent news reports indicate that the EPA is considering new rules that would encourage the continued use of many coal-fired power plants. What’s next, subsidies for fax machines and typewriters? The administration is also considering relaxing proposed emission limits for automobiles. These are major steps backwards when the deleterious effects of climate change are becoming more and more evident. Extreme weather events and their impacts, including larger and more intense fires, floods, heavy downpours, and droughts, have become more frequent. Sea-level rise is putting coastal communities and island nations at risk, and is happening at an increasing rate.

Inquiries to our representatives expressing concern about climate change are generally met with comments that the cost of cleaner energy would hurt the economy. Do these people not care about the future of their children and grandchildren? The cost to mitigate effects of climate change is already significant and will certainly get worse.

We need to be looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions instead of encouraging them. If we wait for greater disasters to occur, it will be too late to solve the problem. On a positive note, the Climate Solutions Caucus in the House of Representatives has 86 members at last count, consisting of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans dedicated to finding economically viable solutions to climate change. These members need to be supported and new members encouraged. Note that there are no current members from Arkansas. In order to make the transition to cleaner forms of energy faster, the fossil fuel industry should absorb some of the costs of climate change with some form of carbon tax, or a carbon fee and dividend plan as proposed by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. ROBERT BROWN Bella Vista