To the editor: I deeply appreciate that Nils Gilman makes the all important point about the stakes of this election. Even if former President Trump wins and dismantles democracy in this country, it could still theoretically be restored one day — not so for the climate. (“Trump 2.0 would be a disaster for the climate,” Opinion, July 30)
But I submit that, with respect to one point, his premise is actually too optimistic.
We are told by climate scientists that if we want to avoid the more catastrophic consequences of climate change, we have a window of only a few years within which we must take drastic steps to roll back carbon emissions. Simply doing nothing, maintaining the status quo, will bring on catastrophe because of what we’ve done in the past.
So just imagine what four years of “drill, baby, brill” will bring.
Focusing on how Trump might disable our ability to address climate change after his administration seems almost beside the point. Catastrophe, literally speaking, would already be on its way, and there would be no possible way to stop it. Large parts of the globe would become uninhabitable.
Steven Schechter, Thousand Oaks
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To the editor: There are many differences between Republicans and Democrats, but on climate the differences are especially stark.
The Trump and Republican Party mantra, “drill, baby, drill,” reflects their commitment to the fossil fuel industry. They will continue to prop up coal, oil and gas and delay the transition to clean energy, even though scientists warn that the disease, death and destruction these fuels cause is becoming catastrophic and irreversible.
The climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis. About 75% of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions that are overheating our planet come from burning fossil fuels. Trump and his party want to keep burning them. Democrats and other sensible people want to phase them out before their impacts overwhelm us.
Clean, renewable energy is available now. The only obstacles to solving the climate crisis are politics and an entrenched fossil fuel industry.
Rejecting Trump in November is our best hope.
Robert Taylor, Santa Barbara
