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Letter: Young people are taking the lead

(Paul White | AP file photo) Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addresses plenary of U.N. climate conference during with a meeting with leading climate scientists at the COP25 summit in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Thunberg is in Madrid where a global U.N.-sponsored climate change conference is taking place.

President Trump has again tweeted about Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old climate change activist. This time the tweet came after Greta was chosen as Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

Trump tweeted, “So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!”

Unlike Trump, I support Greta. I also support the nearly 2,000 young people who on April 29, 2017, marched to the governor’s residence to submit the Utah Climate Resolution. This resolution was written by Utah high school students. The resolution acknowledges the role of fossil fuels in climate change and encourages the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Initially the students were not even allowed to submit the resolution for consideration by the Legislature but, after the April 29 march and after revisions were made, the students were allowed to submit their resolution. This resolution was approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gary Herbert.

Today’s young people will inherit the world we leave them, and they don’t want to live with the rising sea level and other problems that climate scientists have warned about.

According to a Washington Post poll, more than 7 in 10 teenagers and young adults say climate change will cause a moderate or great deal of harm to people in their generation.

Russell Patterson, West Valley City

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