To the Editor:

The results of the 2014 elections are in and I offer congratulations to the winners in our town, county, state, and country.

Climate change is no longer something that is going to happen. We see it happening already with higher sea levels, more severe weather, higher temperatures, droughts, melting snowcaps in the polar regions, and acidifying oceans. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing an increase in diseases such as asthma. The only question at this point is how bad we allow it to get before doing something meaningful about it.

As a parent, grandparent, and pediatrician, I am deeply concerned about the world we are leaving for our children and grandchildren. We must take steps NOW to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up our world.

The most efficient and effective way to cut carbon is with a steadily-rising fee on the CO₂ content of fossil fuels. If we return the revenue from the fee to all households, we’ll shield families from higher energy costs and actually ADD jobs to the economy. A study from the highly-respected Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI), bears this out. In ten years, according to REMI, the reductions we achieve in carbon-pollution would save 13,000 lives per year.

Now that the elections are finally over, I hope that the two parties can set aside their differences to solve the big problems before us, like climate change. As the new Congress sets its agenda, my priority for them will be to pass a Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation. I also would like to congratulate our Town Committee for its
consideration of replacing some of its electrical power usage with solar energy panels on municipal buildings. If this proposal passes, it would show Princeton’s leadership in doing our part to help mitigate climate change.

M. David Atkin, MD

Member, Citizens for Climate Change Lobby