Take action now on the UN report on climate

Re: “You’ve heard it all before — this time listen,” April 10 commentary

The U. N. Panel on Climate Change is quite disturbed that some of us continue to tune out dire warnings and catastrophic consequences of global warming. Gallup’s March 2022 poll offers excellent insight into our nation’s lack of focus on this issue.

Gallup asked, “What do you think is the most important problem facing the country today?” The majority of respondents listed either “economic problems” ( 35%) or poor governance ( 22%) as their top concern. Climate change lagged well behind, with only 2% seeing it as the dominant threat.

Another contributor to the lack of attention on warming is the fact that the biggest polluter on planet earth, China, has been excused from meaningful participation. The Chinese Communist Party has made it clear they prioritize economic growth over reducing emissions.

Those asking people to listen to green ideology seek disproportional political power based on expectations over expertise.

Forrest Monroe, Aurora

In reading Nicholas Goldberg’s commentary, I am reminded of the definition of crazy: “Continue doing the same thing and expect different results.” From the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, we still haven’t started to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide. Progress has been far too slow.

Goldberg also points out that “our democratic political system is ill- suited to deliver policies that require sacrifice and pain today in exchange for future gain ...”

Other political systems are not up to the task either. Look at China, which is focused on economic growth and power and continues to build coal- fired power plants.

Instead of whining about corporate greed and individuals unwilling to make sacrifices, we need a solution utilizing that behavior. Government spending trillions of dollars it doesn’t have is not sustainable both because of the politics and the eventual limit of borrowing money. We need a different approach.

A carbon fee and dividend law would decrease carbon- based energy and encourage the use and development of alternatives. Because the fees collected are directly returned to the people, it doesn’t increase the size of government. It energizes the free market and capitalism to reduce carbon emissions. And the money to stop climate change will come from the private sector investing to realize a profit. It would be sustainable because it would be political suicide to take the dividend away from voters.

Rich Griffin, Aurora