An unlikely, conservative climate hero
Conservatives aren’t usually at the forefront of climate solution proposals. I applaud the former secretary of state in President (Ronald) Reagan’s admin-istration, George Shultz, a leading elder statesman.
In 1989, he worked closely with Reagan on negotiating the Montreal Protocol – an international treaty to prevent the degradation of the ozone layer. His memo to Reagan stated, “Environmental effects of stratospheric ozone depletion could include decreased crop yields, adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems including fisheries, and potentially significant climate change.”
In a recent interview, Mr. Shultz said that we need to protect our climate and solve our political gridlock. Shultz stated, “We have a lot of scientific data. I think it’s pretty convincing that we have a genuine big-time problem. This is a matter of observation. I think we should be taking out an insurance policy.”
He explained that back in the day, Reagan wanted an “insurance policy” in case the scientists were right about the ozone depletion. There were people who thought there was a problem, others who doubted. They agreed there was a big consequence if it happened. So Reagan said, “Look, let’s take out an insurance policy.” And so the Montreal Protocol was born.
Due to our continued use of fossil fuels and our greenhouse gas emissions, we’re causing global warming. Shultz proposes we convert our economy to one based on carbon-free electricity with a legislative revenue neutral carbon pricing plan.
Thank you, Mr Shultz, for being a climate hero!
Susan Atkinson
Durango
