Action, Not Talk
As a Jewish climate activist, I was pleased to see the tight causal linkages drawn by the Forward between climate change and Hurricane Sandy in the November 9 editorial “Sandy’s Lessons.” The Forward, unlike many media outlets, clearly and responsibly informed its readers about the causes of Hurricane Sandy and illustrated how Sandy was a symptom of anthropogenic global warming. I was, however, disappointed to see that after a clear explanation of the issue, the Forward did not advance any solutions, opting for a vague call for action.
There are already multiple policy options under consideration, most prominently a flat tax on tons of emitted carbon. This tax could be paired with a dividend scheme, which distributes the funds on a per capita basis to American citizens, in the same manner that the state of Alaska deals with oil royalties. Another option on the table is a mandated tariff scheme, which forces power providers to purchase renewable energy at steadily declining rates.
My point is that the solutions to climate change are already here. We know what to do, it is simply a matter of building the political will to do it.
Nathan Schumer New York
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
