The United Nations issued a scientifically based climate change update. There were 193 nations in our world who committed to target global warming by controlling green house gas emissions in their own countries. The most recent report says only 26 countries have made significant progress toward their commitments. The two largest contributors to the problem we all face are China and the United States. The Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden Administration is a much belated effort to put our country on the right track. If all of the law is implemented the USA would get to near 80% of the goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030. China has slowed the construction of coal fire power plants across the globe but they estimate they will not reach a reduction of output until 2030. So what, The Paris Accord set a target at 1.5 degree temperature increase because it was understood not reaching the goal would have significant impacts on our planet. Without immediate action we could well reach 2.1 to 2.9 degrees increase to pre-industrial levels by the end of the Century.
We have seen in the past few years the impacts of the current levels of global warming. What else can happen? Drought, flooding, wildfires, intense storm systems, elimination of wildlife, heat domes, sea levels encroaching on all land masses, food shortages, great deserts, loss of snowpack, political unrest…., imagine your worst fears of a dystopian society. George Orwell imagined life under extreme fascist or totalitarian rule, the kind of chaos created by climate change could truly lead to devastating leadership outcomes.
As a grandparent, I am not comfortable leaving these problems to our children and their children. So many priorities, first and foremost we need to protect our democracy so that the people actually control the future. I hope you will vote for what is right and important and send the far right and any extremist group a unified message, we want our country back. Save our democracy so that we can save the future of our planet.
I used to be a Mike Crapo supporter. He is running a campaign against Biden, not always using the facts. I would like him to tell us what he will do about inflation, immigration, energy, Health care costs, Social security, Medicare, budget deficits, Russia, the Ukraine, manufacturing in America…I am clear on what he is against and does not like. I would appreciate him giving us some solutions that he is willing to fight to achieve. The current administration did not create inflation which is a problem world wide, working together to solve it would make logical sense.
Finally, Ruth Badger Ginsberg died on September 20, 2020. She was a beacon of hope for equality in our country. I am certain she is resting uncomfortably seeing what has happened to the Supreme Court of our land. Good news, we are going to see her picture on a forever stamp in 2023.
Take time to enjoy the Halloween season before you get really serious about making a difference in your part of the ecosystem. Mike
Matter of Degrees
