To the editor:

George Will’s recent column implied that the science of global warming is still murky, and is not a problem that we need to take seriously as a threat. Nothing could be further from the truth. The recent UN report unequivocally concluded that climate change is caused by human activity and will have increasingly catastrophic impacts unless we change our current course of fossil fuel use. Most reasonable people would conclude that scientists who spend their careers studying climate are likely to be more knowledgeable than a journalist who has read a few contrarian articles. Every few weeks we are getting very visible warning signals that we must deal with global warming with a sense of urgency — the Arctic cold last winter, the record setting fires of last summer, Houston experiencing “thousand year floods” every couple of years, etc.

Although conservation at the individual level is important, that alone is not sufficient to halt global warming. It is imperative that we create the structural changes needed to convert our energy system to renewable energy to protect our planet. Climate change has to be addressed with the same urgency we had when Pearl Harbor was attacked and when 9/11 happened. This is regardless of our political affiliation; both Democrats and Republicans would fight to protect their homes — the thought of not doing so is unthinkable. We must elect politicians who will protect the earth from irreparable damage; we don’t have any other options.

John Wade,

Lawrence