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LETTERS

Into the Red and on to something vital: the climate cause

Deepwater Wind's turbines stand in the water off Block Island, R.I., on Aug. 23, 2019.Rodrique Ngowi/Associated Press

We should be thinking win-win, not of tradeoffs

Re “Into the Red: Climate and the fight of our lives”: Thank you for committing to expanding and rethinking your climate coverage in the face of widespread denial and inaction (“A sharper focus on the issue of our time,” Page A1, Jan. 20). Climate activists around the world will welcome this transformation and be excited to support you at every step. In your announcement, however, the statement that meeting the climate challenge will “ask something of all of us” reflects a mind-set that assumes addressing climate change will diminish our lifestyles. This need not be true.

A 2013 study concluded that Massachusetts could grow its economy and jobs by implementing a revenue-neutral fee on greenhouse gas emissions. A 2014 study of a similar nationwide policy concluded that 60 to 70 percent of households at the low end of the income distribution would break even financially or come out ahead. Most of remaining households would experience only minor financial impacts while, again, the national economy and jobs would grow, emissions would plummet, and health outcomes would improve.

As a Globe subscriber and climate advocate, I am thrilled by your commitment to expanded coverage of this issue, but not if you won’t challenge your own assumptions or get out beyond the comfort zone of conventional wisdom.

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Gary Rucinski

Massachusetts state coordinator

Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Newton


Meeting our ambitious goals is not automatic

Prioritizing and publishing newsworthy articles about this crisis is exactly what’s needed.

It’s true that Massachusetts has set some of the most ambitious climate goals in the country, but putting these goals into practice is not automatic or guaranteed. Public awareness and input are crucial. We also need to elect politicians, including our next governor, who are unequivocally committed to meeting climate challenges.

Deception, denial, and foot-dragging have thwarted progress to where we are now: in the danger zone. All of our lives are affected, so it is foremost a public policy issue, and we all are needed, not just scientists and politicians. For those who need to better understand climate change, many educational opportunities are available, not to mention excellent journalism. And we can all begin by talking to family, neighbors, and friends. What could be more important?

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Marjorie Lee

Wayland


Eyes are on the aspirations of post-fossil-fuel era

Journalism has been called “the first rough draft of history.” The Globe’s “Into the Red” team is tasked with covering what surely will be a volatile period. We are at a juncture when the energy systems that undergird the global economy are being remade to meet the aspirations of a post-fossil-fuel era. The near future promises debate and conflict, resistance and confrontation, breakthroughs and failures.

It should make for great journalism. I applaud the Globe for making coverage of the climate crisis a priority.

Frederick Hewett

Cambridge


May other media follow suit

The “Into the Red” project, like the Globe’s Spotlight Team, promises to become a major exercise of journalistic responsibility. The thoughtful guidelines and the plan to hire new staff suggest a serious commitment. The focus on local issues increases the likelihood of having positive effects and of inspiring citizens to action. Let us hope that other newspapers will step up too. This initiative, I hope, will help all of us break the inertia that a sense of powerlessness creates.

Monica McAlpine

Brookline


World leaders haven’t shown the spine to tackle this challenge

Thank you so much for your decision to devote more coverage to climate change. This is truly the defining crisis of our time. The world is slipping toward irreversible catastrophe, and world leaders — political and corporate — have no spine to address it. The solutions are well understood; they just need to be implemented. I hope more focused and revelatory news coverage will help bring leadership around.

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Mark Webster

Auburndale


Another issue cries out for attention

Great climate initiative. Now do one for democracy!

Mark Hooker

Newton