A lifeline in the face of the climate crisis

To the Editor:

In the three presidential debates leading up to the 2016 election, the two final candidates spent less than six minutes total discussing the climate crisis. Thankfully, in the lead-up to the 2020 elections, a very different narrative is taking shape surrounding environmental policy. In the most recent Democratic debate, climate change was mentioned over 25 times. Furthermore, earlier this year, CNN ran a climate town hall during which each of the ten Democratic candidates spent the better part of 40 minutes discussing their plan to combat the climate crisis. Integral to all of these plans is the Green New Deal.

When Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey introduced the Green New Deal Resolution to the House and Senate this February, they took the first step toward realizing a sustainable future. The resolution creates a framework for legislation that aims to simultaneously combat the issues of inequality and climate change by moving the country to 100% clean energy by 2030 and guaranteeing a living-wage job to all. The plan focuses on environmental justice and help for those communities most affected by the climate crisis. For our generation this resolution feels like a lifeline.

We have grown up hearing the words “climate change,” learning about carbon emissions and greenhouse gases in our science classes, and watching the sea levels rise. We have also seen the effects of the climate crisis devastate communities around the world. Thousands of people, many in marginalized groups, have suffered and will continue to suffer from environmental injustice, pollution, and climate change. This is a reality now, not a future problem. There is no time to waste. As young people scared for our futures, the Green New Deal gives us hope.

Voters, too, are showing support for this legislation. A poll conducted in June by YouGov and Data for Progress found that 59% of all Americans — not just Democrats — were in favor of the Green New Deal. Despite this, in our own Delaware County, Representative Mary Gay Scanlon has yet to stand in support of the legislation.

The disastrous effects of climate change become clearer every day, and Representative Scanlon has no excuse not to stand up for our futures. We will not sit idly by while the planet is destroyed; if we act now, and if we act together, we can combat the climate crisis. Representative Scanlon has a clear environmental platform, which emphasizes the need for sustainable, green policy — policies just like those outlined in the Green New Deal. Now she has the opportunity to act on her platform and support this legislation. As residents of Delaware County, we urge Representative Scanlon to advocate for our interests and the future of our world by joining the growing body of Americans committed to fighting climate change through the Green New Deal.

Ann Sinclair
Francesca Richardson
Sunrise Swarthmore