Editor’s note: This commentary is by Darrell Ross, of Burlington, a professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University.
[I] have been a university professor for the past 27 years. I have spent my entire adult life studying natural systems and how to best manage them for diverse values. My areas of expertise are forest and insect ecology. One of the founding principles of ecology is that everything in an ecosystem is connected. When one part of an ecosystem is disturbed all other biological and physical components will be affected to some extent. There is no greater issue facing the human race today than climate change.
There is absolutely no question that climate change is caused by human activities that have released massive amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. We need to STOP burning fossil fuels as soon as possible if we hope to leave a planet that will be habitable by future generations. We are already seeing the huge costs of climate change in both dollars and lives lost following increasingly frequent and severe disturbances such as hurricanes, drought and wildfires. These losses will only get larger in the future. Several recent studies have also found that sea levels may rise more quickly and to higher levels as a result of climate change than was previously thought, endangering coastal communities throughout the world(1). The negative impacts of climate change on the vibrant coral reef communities are well documented. We need to develop sustainable, clean energy sources now before we do any further harm to the ecosystems on Earth that we depend upon not just for recreation and enjoyment, but for clean air, water and our very existence.
Gov. Phil Scott’s Climate Action Commission hearings made one thing very clear: Vermonters overwhelmingly support carbon pricing. It is a policy that has broad support and has been proven to be effective at reducing carbon emissions in many places around the world. Gov. Scott needs to listen to his constituents now and do the right thing to ensure a planet that our children, grandchildren and future generations can enjoy. Clean energy is the only way for the human race to survive on Earth. Vermont should continue its long tradition as a leader on environmental issues showing the rest of the world what is possible and absolutely necessary. Gov. Scott, please stop listening to the special interests of the fossil fuel industry and their single-minded focus on monetary gain and, instead, listen to the many Vermonters who are truly and rightfully concerned about the future of the human race.
1“The oceans could rise more and faster than we thought,” Chris Mooney, Washington Post, October 26, 2017.
