Change (as in Climate) Isn't Always Good

I realize that folks in the States are utterly burned out on the presidential election... but I'm a science fiction writer. I care about science, about evidence-based policy, and about rational decisions that shape the future of our species on this planet. So bear with me as I post an open letter to President-elect Trump, the soon-to-be leader of the free world.

Disclaimer: I have friends who voted Republican, friends who voted Democrat, and friends who decided to vote for a 3rd-party candidate. I consider all of them to be intelligent, concerned citizens who voted their conscience. This isn't intended to be a rant. Half of our country isn't uniformly "good" or "bad" because of their political party leanings; that's just a silly and intellectually lazy cop-out. But this is an issue about which I care, passionately, and I hope our polarized nation can somehow reach a logical compromise. So... here we go.

An Open Letter to President-Elect Trump on Climate Change: You Got it Right the First Time

To President-Elect Trump:

Congratulations on your electoral triumph. In your victory speech, you confirmed your commitment to represent all Americans and called for unity. That's wonderful, and exactly the tone we need at this juncture in our nation's political history. You've pledged to listen to all of your citizens, not just the ones who voted for you. I take you at your word, sir, and ask you to consider this plea in relation to a crucial issue, not just for America but for the entire world.

When it comes to the issue of climate change, Mr. Trump, you got it right the first time.

In 2009, you joined a group of business leaders in exhorting the (then) new president, Barack Obama, to step up to the most serious existential threat to humanity on this planet. You and three of your adult children signed an open letter published in the New York Times in December of that year, asking President Obama and Congress to lead by example at the U.N. Climate Conference in Copenhagen.

Specifically, you and the other signatories affirmed the following:

"We support your effort to ensure meaningful and effective measures to control climate change, an immediate challenge facing the United States and the world today. Please don't postpone the Earth. If we fail to act now, it is scientifically irrefutable that there will be catastrophic and irreversible consequences for humanity and our planet... We have the ability and the know-how to lead the world in clean energy technology to thrive in a global market and economy. But we must embrace the challenge today to ensure that future generations are left with a safe planet and a strong economy."

You were absolutely right in 2009. Since that time, the evidence for global warming has only mounted, and the scientific consensus has grown to more than 97% of climate scientists on the planet.

You have (rightfully) extolled the virtues of the U.S. military and placed the welfare of veterans at the center of your policy agenda. Clearly, you have great respect for our military. To the U.S. Department of Defense, climate change is not a matter of debate: rather, it is "an urgent and growing threat to our national security." According to the DoD's National Security Report of July 2015, "these impacts are already occurring, and the scope, scale, and intensity of these impacts are projected to increase over time." ( Congressional Report on National Security Implications of Climate-Related Risks and a Changing Climate, 23 July 2015 )

Your party has also emphasizes the central role of religious faith in informing your policy and platform positions. It's important, then, to recognize that nearly every major world religion acknowledges the reality of climate change and the moral responsibility of humans to safeguard God's Creation ( Religious Statements on Climate Change ). This includes a majority of Christian faith traditions: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Mennonite, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, United Church of Christ, etc.

Climate change is not a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese or a scam coordinated by scientists to secure research funding. Literally 99.9% of peer-reviewed scientific publications on this subject conclude that climate change is real and primarily due to human actions. As you recognized in 2009, this is one of the most critical challenges facing our country and the world. We can't pretend it doesn't exist. We need to act, decisively, to protect the futures of our children and grandchildren.

You are our president now, sir. You bear the burden of leadership for all Americans. And -- more than any president in modern memory -- you have achieved the highest office in the land without being beholden to special interests. Don't surrender to pressures from the fossil fuel industry. You've promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington. Don't drill for oil after you've drained it; that's exactly what the special interests want!

#SFWApro