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5 Responses to Climate Change Deniers
At this point, there are no good-faith deniers of the planetary emergency before us
Apr 29, 2019
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with someone who denies climate change? Here are 5 responses to climate change deniers:
1) The science is undeniable. Scientists have concluded that the Earth's temperature has been steadily climbing since the late 19th century, just when humans started emitting large amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere. And it's intensifying. 18 of the 19 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001.
And, no. Just because it snows doesn't mean climate change isn't occurring.
You can see the consequences of extreme weather all around us. Wildfires. hurricanes. droughts.
2) Tackling climate change is good for the economy. Clean energy creates more jobs than natural gas or coal, with3 times as many Americans already employed in clean energy as in fossil fuels. These jobs also tend to pay more. States like Californiathat have invested heavily in clean energy have grown their economies, while reducing carbon pollution.
3) Other countries are charging ahead with clean energy, leaving America in the coal dust. Germany plans to close its remaining coal plants by 2038. China is moving ahead with clean energy and has pledged to invest hundreds of billions more, far outpacing the United States. Even Saudi Arabia is now investing in renewable energy.
4) We can't afford not to address climate change. The devastation brought on by climate change will cause the U.S. economy to shrink, according to scientific estimates. The losses are projected to be more than double those of the Great Recession.
5) Oil companies have known for decades that carbon pollution threatens the planet, but have sought to block action addressing the crisis. They have poured billions into political donationsand misinformation campaigns to protect their profits and block clean air laws.
At this point, anyone who denies climate change is either willfully ignorant or complicit in protecting fossil fuel profits over the safety and security of our children and grandchildren.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Robert Reich
Robert Reich is professor emeritus of public policy at Berkeley and former US secretary of labor. His latest book is the No. 1 New York Times best-seller, "Coming Up Short."
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with someone who denies climate change? Here are 5 responses to climate change deniers:
1) The science is undeniable. Scientists have concluded that the Earth's temperature has been steadily climbing since the late 19th century, just when humans started emitting large amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere. And it's intensifying. 18 of the 19 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001.
And, no. Just because it snows doesn't mean climate change isn't occurring.
You can see the consequences of extreme weather all around us. Wildfires. hurricanes. droughts.
2) Tackling climate change is good for the economy. Clean energy creates more jobs than natural gas or coal, with3 times as many Americans already employed in clean energy as in fossil fuels. These jobs also tend to pay more. States like Californiathat have invested heavily in clean energy have grown their economies, while reducing carbon pollution.
3) Other countries are charging ahead with clean energy, leaving America in the coal dust. Germany plans to close its remaining coal plants by 2038. China is moving ahead with clean energy and has pledged to invest hundreds of billions more, far outpacing the United States. Even Saudi Arabia is now investing in renewable energy.
4) We can't afford not to address climate change. The devastation brought on by climate change will cause the U.S. economy to shrink, according to scientific estimates. The losses are projected to be more than double those of the Great Recession.
5) Oil companies have known for decades that carbon pollution threatens the planet, but have sought to block action addressing the crisis. They have poured billions into political donationsand misinformation campaigns to protect their profits and block clean air laws.
At this point, anyone who denies climate change is either willfully ignorant or complicit in protecting fossil fuel profits over the safety and security of our children and grandchildren.
Robert Reich
Robert Reich is professor emeritus of public policy at Berkeley and former US secretary of labor. His latest book is the No. 1 New York Times best-seller, "Coming Up Short."
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with someone who denies climate change? Here are 5 responses to climate change deniers:
1) The science is undeniable. Scientists have concluded that the Earth's temperature has been steadily climbing since the late 19th century, just when humans started emitting large amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere. And it's intensifying. 18 of the 19 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001.
And, no. Just because it snows doesn't mean climate change isn't occurring.
You can see the consequences of extreme weather all around us. Wildfires. hurricanes. droughts.
2) Tackling climate change is good for the economy. Clean energy creates more jobs than natural gas or coal, with3 times as many Americans already employed in clean energy as in fossil fuels. These jobs also tend to pay more. States like Californiathat have invested heavily in clean energy have grown their economies, while reducing carbon pollution.
3) Other countries are charging ahead with clean energy, leaving America in the coal dust. Germany plans to close its remaining coal plants by 2038. China is moving ahead with clean energy and has pledged to invest hundreds of billions more, far outpacing the United States. Even Saudi Arabia is now investing in renewable energy.
4) We can't afford not to address climate change. The devastation brought on by climate change will cause the U.S. economy to shrink, according to scientific estimates. The losses are projected to be more than double those of the Great Recession.
5) Oil companies have known for decades that carbon pollution threatens the planet, but have sought to block action addressing the crisis. They have poured billions into political donationsand misinformation campaigns to protect their profits and block clean air laws.
At this point, anyone who denies climate change is either willfully ignorant or complicit in protecting fossil fuel profits over the safety and security of our children and grandchildren.
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