Failing to plan is planning to fail. A stitch in time saves nine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Many of the communities in Delta County, and in the Gunnison River region, take pride in their small-town rural traditions.
Of course, these old saws are not only pearls of rural wisdom. Still, if harkening back to the values contained in these cultural proverbs is a touch-stone for the more traditionally and conservative -minded, then we can start there.
First, the future that climate science pretty accurately predicted decades ago is now here. The impacts of climate change will not only threaten us in years to come, but are a clear and present-day danger today as well.
Second, we can act now to avert even worse, and far costlier, deadlier, effects to come.
Emissions can be cut significantly across all sectors to mitigate further impacts. Actions can be taken to adapt our critical infrastructure and systems to prepare for the harmful and severe consequences of the warming already here and coming. And we can center regenerative agriculture, conservation, and other land-use practices that help better manage carbon by storing more of it in natural systems, like soils, undeveloped lands, and healthy watersheds.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we can insist that elected officials earn the title of leader, not act as excuse-makers. Passing the buck by blaming others for one’s own failure to act is a dereliction. And there is simply no more time for that.
With passage of the Inflation Reduction Act there are now more resources than ever to support community-based climate solutions here in western Colorado. But local governments need to step up with vision and initiative to make the most of that opportunity and to truly serve their communities.
If we fail to plan now for the escalating impacts of climate change - by eliminating emissions, adapting critical systems, and strengthening natural carbon uptakes - then we are planning to fail. And failure will be catastrophic. Action, and investment, now will save magnitudes more money and time in years to come.
America doesn’t need to wait for China to lead. And real leaders don’t make excuses for their own inaction. Climate change is not liberal or conservative. We can see the impacts playing out before us right now. And we know that it will get even much worse, and with it the economic devastation and deadly impacts, unless we act.
It’s not scare-mongering to state what science tells us with high confidence is now upon us. But it is a failure of leadership and of imagination to refuse to take the necessary action.
If you agree that there is no more time for excuses from elected officials, please contact your local and county leaders today and urge them to act now. And keep at it until they tell you exactly how they are planning to address this climate emergency.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of KVNF.