This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
On June 9 the Atlantic Fleet had no retreat as the full moon swelled and the sea invaded Norfolk beach. Navy resupply trucks sank axle deep in ocean flooding caused by the dramatic effects of damage to our climate. According to February's National Geographic, this is now a monthly occurrence.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, water provisions between Israel, Jordon and Palestinian Authority buoy a fragile peace as a tinderbox of enemies siphon the Sea of Galilee, now at its lowest recorded level. Eight days earlier, the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord.
Some policymakers claim that the Paris Accord was bad for our economy. What about our national security? According to the Department of Defense, climate change is a "threat multiplier," aggravating violence and the spread of disease and inflaming the fatalistic promises of Islamic extremists.
The Pentagon knows that our world is made less stable by millions upon millions of thirsty people dislocated from their homes and livelihoods due to climate damage. In 2014, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said, "We are already beginning to see some of these impacts." In Syria, drought forced millions of people to flee their farms for city streets. Hot, dry and agitated, they needed water. Water to grow food. Water to quench their children's thirst. What they got was civil war.
Meanwhile, our military readiness has literally eroded, swamped and burned up. Coastal Air Force runways wash away. Our largest naval base, Norfolk, regularly becomes impassible. Extreme weather events — like the year's worth of rain in 80 minutes that washed away $64 million of infrastructure at the Army's Mojave base, or the wild fires caused by extreme drought that threatened the Marine Corp base in California — exacerbate the challenges of protecting America.
And what about our economic security? American ingenuity and innovation have long been the driver of our wealth and well-being. In February, France's new president invited American climate scientists and innovators to come to France to continue their work.
"We like innovation. We want innovative people," Macron said.
Do we really want to put the brakes on the clean energy industry which is adding jobs to the American economy at a rate 12 times the national average?
Given that both our national security and economic health are at risk, we need leadership that will get us on track solving the climate crisis while keeping American technology and innovation second to none.
There is a well-studied alternative to Paris that is garnering a lot of attention called Carbon Fee and Dividend. It would place a small fee on fossil fuels that increases over time. Then, it would return 100 percent of the collected fee to American households, paying dividends! This plan protects family budgets from shifting energy costs while leveling the playing field for emerging energy technologies. Business leaders would innovate in order to thrive in a renewable world. It would reduce air pollution and save lives. It's simple, elegant and transparent. And it doesn't require much overhead.
There is a bi-partisan congressional group called the Climate Solution Caucus, formed to explore economically-viable options to reduce climate damage (like Carbon Fee and Dividend). Utah's Rep. Mia Love was one of the first Republicans to join this caucus, along with 20 other Republicans and 21 Democrats.
I am asking my representative, Chris Stewart, to do what he does best and support our military as they grapple with risks of further climate damage. Support our working families by encouraging a bright future with high-paying manufacturing and professional jobs. Help lead us towards a safe and prosperous America by joining the Climate Solution Caucus today!
Regina Pistilli recently moved to Salt Lake City from Maine. She was vice president of information technology for MP Associates, in Boulder, Colo., and now devotes her time to writing and being fruitful.