A Change in the Climate

Kudos to J.J. Goldberg for pointing out in his June 1 column, “Biggest Election Issue? Planet’s Survival,” how critical climate change is for the future of the world, and that this should be a major issue in the presidential campaign.

The view that we are rapidly approaching a climate catastrophe is reinforced by a strong consensus of climate scientists as indicated by hundreds of refereed articles in respected science journals, by dire warnings from science academies all over the world and by the major increase in the number and severity of storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and wildfires.

An important factor to consider related to Goldberg’s article is that Mitt Romney and almost all Republicans are in denial about climate change. Because of this, the conservative group Republicans for Environmental Protection was able to endorse only about 4% of Republican candidates for Congress and governorships in the 2010 midterm election. Conservatives who think that climate change is a hoax promoted by liberals should check REP’s website (www.rep.org).

Richard H. Schwartz
Prof. Emeritus, College of Staten Island
New York, N.Y.

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