The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Letter to editor: Before the Flood

Letter+to+editor%3A+Before+the+Flood

Former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon stated that “Climate change is the single greatest threat to a sustainable future but, at the same time, addressing the climate challenge presents a golden opportunity to promote prosperity, security and a brighter future for all.”

One of the most significant opportunities we must take is to stop funding fossil fuels.

The science is clear and non-negotiable.  We have significantly more oil, gas, and coal than the world can afford to burn for a safe climate future.  And yet, each year, hundreds of billions of tax dollars are handed out by governments around the world to help fossil fuel companies explore, expand, and exploit more un-burnable carbon.

The Paris agreement, signed by 194 countries in 2015, is a step in the right direction and includes a goal of ending fossil fuel subsidies globally.

Despite agreeing to take strong action on climate change in Paris in 2015, our governments are still handing out massive amounts of public money, making the problem much worse. Globally, these giveaways to oil, gas, and coal companies to produce more fossil fuels add up to more than $5 trillion each year. That’s nearly $1 million every minute.

Sadly, recent efforts by the Trump administration intend to roll back climate progress.  President Trump has said, “My administration is putting an end to the war on coal.”

The film Before the Flood presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world because of climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet.   One of those actions is to stop subsidizing the use of fossil fuels.

Learn more about this National Geographic film and how to watch it by visiting https://www.beforetheflood.com/

­— Laura Anderson

Marketing Director, Franciscan Peace Center Sisters of St. Francis

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