In many ways, simply publishing an article about the effects of climate change is a controversial act since writing about it acknowledges its existence. There are many in government and business who have been suspicious of scientific warnings about global warming and hostile to efforts like the Kyoto Protocol, which would significantly restrict greenhouse gas emissions around the globe. But the evidence that the earth’s climate is being dangerously altered seems to me–and, for that matter, to General Electric, Ford, DuPont and dozens of other multinationals and institutional investors–to be frighteningly compelling. These companies are all heavily dependent on fossil fuel energy. Yet, rather than wait until a crisis forces them into action or environmental regulation requires it, they are coming up with their own forward-looking solutions. Their efforts alone will not be enough, unfortunately, and the problem, according to scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is accelerating. We have to hope for and work for a more enlightened national and global policy if we are to prevent potentially apocalyptic disasters. We can dissolve into partisan bickering as we have on so many issues or we can work together, like these companies, to fix the problem. The subject of global warming has always raised some people’s hackles. Perhaps now that it is called climate change we can deal with it more rationally. I’d rather not see my daughter have to swim to school in the future.
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