Let's not repeat mistakes of the past

As expected given the recent spate of news coverage of the Paris climate talks, deniers have stepped up their letter writing, trotting out the same old arguments about why it isn't real. They seem to have missed the fact that for more and more Americans, this false debate is over.

A majority of the public now agree that climate change is real and should be addressed. And, of course, despite the deniers' claims to the contrary, almost all qualified climate scientists are in complete agreement about the reality of climate change, its direct link to excess atmospheric CO2 produced by the burning of fossil fuels and the real risks this poses for society.

But possibly the most telling sign that the argument is over is the fact that a number of major oil producers (Exxon, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA and Statoil) are admitting that this is the case and are calling for a tax on carbon as the best way to begin to address this problem.

I doubt that their scientists are trying to scam their bosses.

We should make no mistake. There will be a transition away from fossil fuels in the near future. What we have to ask ourselves right now is, to paraphrase retired Rear Admiral and climate scientist David Titley, do we want to continue to live in denial, watching Europe, India and China develop and market the many new products and services needed for this transition, or do we want to provide these things from Silicon Valley, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Boston, New York and a myriad of other American cities and towns.

I am sure many cart and buggy manufacturers were firmly convinced that the automobile was just a passing fancy. That didn't work out so well for them. Let's not repeat the mistake.

Jim Thrall

Spring Grove