Because President Trump is so keen on anything concerning money, the one thing that may grab his attention in the recent report on climate change is its $500 billion price tag.
If we dont take action to better protect the planet, the U.S. economy is predicted to shrink by 10 percent by centurys end, due in part to a crippling loss in labor, energy and crop production.
An increase in cataclysmic weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires and flooding is expected to result in $32 billion in annual costs in repairs to our nations roadways and bridges. Rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps are expected to cost $118 billion to address flooded coastlines and the infiltration of saltwater into fresh-water reservoirs. Midwest farmers, no strangers to challenge, can expect rising temperatures, drought and wildfires on one end of the spectrum offset by heavy downpours and flooding on the other. Economic sectors such as energy and agriculture can expect to experience losses twice as bad as those of the Great Recession of 2008.
The 1,656-page National Climate Assessment was released Friday. Required by Congress since 1990, the report, compiled by 13 federal agencies and 300 scientists, studies the effects of climate change and how to avert disaster.
The presidents reaction? Baloney.
Coal is gold. Drill baby drill.
Instead of working to address climate change, Mr. Trump is reversing past policies including easing restrictions on vehicle tailpipe emissions and those from power plant smokestacks.
Such measures put us in greater jeopardy of irretrievable damage to our air, water and soil.
What Mr. Trump refuses to acknowledge are the advantages of renewable energy, including the high-paying jobs in the wind and solar industries.
THE BIGGEST takeaway from the report is that our climate is changing now, not at some future date, and that unless we devote resources to produce cleaner energy, it will not only be to our detriment but also very expensive to address.
Hopefully, that will prick Mr. Trumps interest to get on board and turn the corner.
Susan Lynn
