Action needed now to stem climate change disaster

This past December, 196 nations of the world at the UN's COP21 Climate Conference had the foresight to acknowledge climate change is real and vowed to take verifiable steps to address it by limiting man-made production of carbon dioxide.

The continued generation of billions of tons of CO2 is resulting in increasing catastrophic climate and ecological changes that will result in massive economic losses and political havoc if steps are not taken to preserve this planet for future generations.

One major step has been the implementation of the EPA's Clean Power Plan that has 60 percent of Americans support and seeks to reduce the CO2 pollution of coal energy power plants that produce 40 percent of carbon emissions in our country. The Supreme Court delayed enforcement of the CPP just days before implementation.

However, this does not overturn it, but may put significant delay on this vital action due to the death of Justice Anthony Scalia.

To say our economy will be hurt by this critical plan is folly. We can find jobs for those who might be displaced by turning our focus, for example, to renewable energy as well as rebuilding our infrastructure. If not, future generations will look back at this period and say, "What were you thinking? How could you not act?"

It's past time to face reality!

Miami is being called "The New Atlantis." Fortunately, they are taking proactive steps to mitigate the rising seas.

What about the remaining 80 percent of Floridians who live near the coastline? We all must face reality and see that plans such as the CPP as well as local action are put into place.

I urge everyone concerned about your family's future to contact your representative in support of the CPP as a major step in combating climate change.

Jim Willard

Parrish

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Action needed now to stem climate change disaster ."