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To the editor:
We may not see signs of climate change in our local area, but this does not mean it's not happening. The Associate Press describes it as a "summer of whiplash."
In Kentucky, after an unusual dry period, "the rain poured in Biblical proportions." The Dallas region now stuck in a drought labeled "extreme and exceptional" saw a one-in-1,000-year rain event. In fact, there have been six such rain-events within a 30-day period in the United States, according to Fox Weather.
In Death Valley, same thing -- a severe drought followed by a near record-breaking rainfall. Western States are being rationed because the Colorado River basin is dangerously low. If the water drops much lower, Hoover Dam may not be able to provide electricity. Historic, massive flood waters in Jackson, Mississippi, left 180,000 residents without running water to drink, flush toilets or fight fires. Closer to home, New England is suffering a prolonged drought. And let's not forget the fires raging throughout the west.
Parts of China, after suffering extreme drought, were hit with torrential rains that caused considerable death and destruction. Last year, Europe suffered from abnormal high levels of flood waters. This year a heat wave caused a 1-in-500-year drought. Rivers are drying up and disrupting trade, which is adding economic pain to the humanitarian crises.
Caused by a deluge described as a "monsoon on steroids," one-third of Pakistan is under water and 1,100 people have perished. Expecting Greenland's "Zombie Ice" to melt, scientists have said to expect the ocean to rise 10 to 30 inches between 2100 to 2150 regardless of what we do now.
This was just a quick overview of the current devastation. There are far more examples of how climate change is impacting our world. All these weather events are made more extreme because of the changing climate.
I think we can believe the scientists at NASA, who know how to put a man on the moon, when they say climate change is real and neither natural nor a hoax.
Every country -- including China, the current biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, must do its part. China is leading the world in energy transition investment -- contrary to what is popularly believed. According to BloombergNEF, China invested $266 billion in energy transition in 2021 including $185 billion in renewable energy.
By comparison, the US invested $144 billion on the same items.
If you are concerned about the cost of changing to renewable energy, think about the cost of not doing it. The top three hurricanes -- Maria, Harvey and Katrina -- which are being fueled by the warming of the planet, resulted in a total of $427 billion in damages and the death of 4,903 people. In the long run, if we invest now, we can save money.
Think of the problem this way: If those of us who believe climate change is real are wrong, we are stuck with clean energy. If the climate change deniers are wrong, we are stuck with an unlivable planet. We just can't keep kicking this can down the road. The fate of the planet is in our hands.
Gary Gill
Lewistown