To the editor:
The most recent National Climate Assessment found that “People who are already vulnerable, including lower-income and other marginalized communities, have lower capacity to prepare for and cope with extreme weather and climate-related events and are expected to experience greater impacts.”
Jesus calls us to help the least among us with a generous spirit. As a Catholic, hearing that the poor and most vulnerable among us will be hit the hardest by climate change is a call to action.
One meaningful step we can take to address climate change and protect poor and vulnerable populations is to ask Congress to take action on the issue of climate change. I commend the House of Representatives for introducing the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, which was recently brought to the table in a bipartisan manner with three Democrat and two Republican co-sponsors.
If the bill passes, we would see meaningful reductions in climate change emissions, more green jobs, health benefits from cleaner energy and less pollution, and a dividend to protect people, especially lower income households, from rising energy costs.
Please call your House representative and our two Wisconsin senators today to let them know we need to see Congress pass this legislation, not only for our climate, but for the sake of the least among us.
Laura Green, Madison