To the Journal editor:

The Sept. 9 edition of the Mining Journal presented an editorial written by Cal Thomas (“Another Day Older and Deeper in Debt”) that raised alarm about expanding federal budget deficits.

While I share Thomas’ concern about these growing deficits, his statement that human-caused climate change is “unproved” is false. Taking action now against this climate change will help cut deficits in the long term.

In fact, the great majority of the most qualified scientists in my field of atmospheric science believe human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (much of which come from burning dirty fossil fuels like coal and oil) deforestation and other actions are responsible for a dangerous global warming/climate change.

In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the six warmest years on record in terms of global average temperature since records began in 1880 have all occurred since 2014 (2016 was the warmest and 2019 the second warmest).

The overwhelming scientific consensus is that urgent action is necessary to slow and reverse this climate change that is also causing more numerous and significant weather events.

The wildfires devastating the western U.S. and increasing number of heavy rain events away from areas impacted by droughts/wildfires are unfortunately a sign of more expensive disasters to come unless we take action now. Near record high Lake Superior water levels and significant coastal erosion are some of the local impacts.

This warming climate will also exacerbate the spread of dangerous diseases like COVID-19 as insects and wildlife more likely to be infected in the hotter lower latitudes spread toward the poles as average temperatures continue to rise.

The increasing health-care and economic expenses related to more illness will expand our country’s budget deficits as shown by the impact of COVID-19 today. A transition to clean, renewable energy sources will lower health-care expenses as we also limit air and water pollution while expanding economic growth as our society builds a new energy infrastructure to support the growth of the solar, wind and geothermal industries.

I urge your readers to call Rep Jack Bergman and Senators Peters and Stabenow by going to cclusa.org/call and following the listed scripts to encourage them to support H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, the passage of which will encourage a transition to clean, renewable energy sources and help lower our country’s budget deficits.