N.M. must put climate policy first

In the past few months, the need for comprehensive climate legislation to protect and preserve New Mexico’s clear air, clean water, healthy forests and sacred lands has felt more urgent than ever. The impacts of climate change have shaken New Mexicans as wildfires have raged across our state, displacing families and devastating landscapes. The sad reality of inaction on climate change is increasingly impossible to ignore, even though the collective failure to prevent this climate emergency has been decades in the making. We must act now so future generations may be spared the type of spring and summer we are experiencing now.

Climate change is a broad, complex issue, but the scientific evidence remains clear: Greenhouse gas emissions are the leading cause of global warming. In New Mexico, over half of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the oil and gas sector. The Lujan Grisham administration has made significant strides to address climate change in recent years, and New Mexico needs to take the next step. The only way to address this problem is to significantly reduce emissions economy-wide as quickly and as equitably as possible.

The effects of climate change can be likened to “death by a thousand cuts,” as they often go unnoticed. In New Mexico, extreme wildfires are the most devastating consequence of climate change, and while wildfires are not directly caused by climate change, the increased size, speed and uncontrollable nature of these fires are a direct result of climate change creating shorter rainy seasons, nutrient-poor soils, overabundant dry plant matter and unhealthy trees from infestations.

The impacts of these wildfires stretch across issues that affect all New Mexicans,

such as food security, water accessibility, public health, transportation and racial justice. Displacement of families from their homes is not only a severe stress on children (impacting the developing brains of young children), but the financial hardships are an added burden on families. Children are also exposed to life-threatening levels of pollution as our skies are continuously clouded with toxic smoke, increasing the risk of developing respiratory illnesses.

The detrimental effects of these stresses most often fall disproportionately on children of color. Communities whose cultural identity, health and cohesion have already been harmed by the generational impacts of colonialism, exploitation and poverty were particularly hard hit by this year’s fires.

The International Panel on Climate Change and the climate science community are aligned on what must be done to protect us from the most harmful effects of climate change. We must significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all industry sectors, especially the oil and gas industry, as soon as possible. And especially in New Mexico, state leaders must also deeply engage front-line communities to implement their insights and solutions as we pave the way for an equitable transition to a sustainable economy that works for all communities.

In the 2023 legislative session, our lawmakers will have the opportunity to pass comprehensive climate legislation to put New Mexico on track toward effective climate action by mandating economy-wide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The people of New Mexico can no longer afford the costs of inaction on climate change.