LETTER TO THE EDITOR: There is reason for optimism on climate change

To the editor:

A climate-emergency declaration from President Biden regarding the ongoing wildfires and smoke is definitely in order to address the current situation (Natter, June 8: Biden urged to demand ‘climate emergency’ as smoke chokes Washington). New York and much of the country need help and need it now.

But it’s futile to continue fighting climate-change “emergencies” one by one while failing to adequately address the worsening existential climate-change problem itself, which is much more serious than the emergency du jour.

Fortunately, a growing number of federal, state, and local politicians and people nationwide are realizing this. I’m optimistic about the protests that are happening with increasing frequency and urgency. I’m optimistic that the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will hasten a reciprocal U.S. border tax such as that now under consideration in Congress. I’m optimistic about the rapid proliferation of wind and solar projects.

There’s a lot to be optimistic or at least hopeful about if we can just get past damage control and adaptation, and down to business with controlling the culprit: carbon emissions. And we must ramp fossil fuel exploration and development down instead of up.

Carol Steinhart

Madison, Wis.