To the editor:

Shoots of hope are emerging. Republicans hold 241 seats in the U.S. House. Last month 17 of those Republicans showed support for climate legislation acknowledging the negative impacts that are expected to worsen in every region of the United States. They’ve called upon the House to work on solutions for mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus realizes that the risks of climate change are far too great to get bogged down in partisan politics. (The Republican) Climate Leadership Council consisting of James A. Baker, George Schultz, Henry Paulson Jr., Ted Halstead, N. Gregory Mankiw, Rob Walton and Thomas Stephenson have offered a climate proposal with four pillars: a gradually increasing carbon tax, carbon dividends for all Americans, border carbon adjustments and significant regulatory

rollback.

The benefits: helping working-class Americans, incentivizing growth and innovation, shrinking the size of government and stabilizing an unstable world.

Won’t it be expensive to impose the fee? No, U.S. oil refineries, coal mines and natural gas processing plants are owned by about 1250 firms.

Why Republicans are embracing climate change: There was no incentive to join with a Democratic Administration bullish on environmental issues. With the election of Trump, who has called climate change a “hoax” and installed climate change denier Scott Pruitt as EPA chief, the battle lines are scrambled. Emboldened by their total control of government, a small but growing number of Republicans have begun standing up for science. Citizens’ Climate Lobby suggests we write and encourage our representatives to join the caucus.