To the Editor:

I am writing this on June 29th, nearly halfway through the year already. Yesterday, I read the Introduction to "The Future We Choose," subtitle "Surviving the Climate Crisis", by Christiana Figures and Tom Rivett-Carnac, architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement. I am reading this book after reading "The End of Nature" by Bill McKibben and "Saving Us" by Katharine Hayhoe. All of this reading was done seeking the answer to a question. How dire a matter is climate change and how urgent is the need for action to minimize worsening of the problem?  

The Introduction to "The Future We Choose" provides a perfectly clear answer. The situation is extremely dire. Action to minimize worsening is of utmost urgency. According to authors Figueres and Rivett-Carnac, the consequences of climate change are such that failure to act quickly to greatly reduce global-warming gas emissions will lead inevitably to an extreme worsening of climate impacts precipitated by shrinking of Arctic Ocean Summer ice cover, melting of the Greenland ice sheet and losses of forest in the Amazon basin and boreal zones of Canada and Siberia.  

The Earth with a climate so greatly altered would be a far worse place for people to live.  It is a near certainty that many parts of the Earth would become uninhabitable for humans and many of the wild animals as the climate continued to worsen. 

"The Future We Choose" sets forth exactly what we need to accomplish so as to avoid extreme climate worsening. We must cut global-warming gas emissions in half by 2030. Doing so will give us time to reach net-zero (emitting a quantity of climate change gases equal to what can be absorbed by the Earth's ecosystems, resulting in no increase in concentrations in the atmosphere) by 2050.  

In 2024 global-warming gas emissions were the highest that they have ever been. Humans are increasing their climate-harmful emissions rather than stopping the increase and beginning emission reductions. 2024 was the hottest year on record for our Earth. Wildfires, hurricanes and floods are all growing bigger and more wide-spread. 

Climate Crisis urgency demands action now. Development of solar and wind energy production must be made top priority for government, business and individuals. Two more extremely important actions must be taken. Human society (government, business and individuals) must mount an intensive effort to conserve energy of all forms. Finally and most importantly, individuals in their thousands, millions and billions must reject Consumerism for a level of consumption similar to that of the 1800s. Consuming little more than what is truly necessary should be the rule for everyone.

If we fail to avert climate disaster in 2050, when will we stop emitting global- warming gases in harmful quantities?  Will we continue doing this until the entire Earth becomes uninhabitable?

Donald L. Hassig

Colton