To the editor: Of all of the short-sighted modifications being made by the Trump administration, none are extra consequential than his assaults on local weather change (“‘It’s a huge loss’: Trump administration dismisses scientists preparing climate report,” April 29). By trying to disclaim scientists’ capacity to even examine local weather change and share its results with others, he’s opening the door to additional environmental, financial and health-related catastrophes.
Because the article factors out, we’re already spending billions of {dollars} to deal with climate-related disasters, and the fee has skyrocketed lately. Between 1980 and current day, a median of 8.8 local weather occasions exceeding $1 billion occurred annually, in keeping with the National Centers for Environmental Information. The annual common for the previous 5 years is 23 occasions. Given Trump’s obsession with chopping prices, defunding local weather change research is unnecessary. By denying that local weather change exists and stopping scientists from learning and sharing the data wanted to deal with its impacts, Trump isn’t simply fiddling whereas the planet burns — he’s lighting it with a torch.
Lorraine Woodman, Santa Barbara
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To the editor: How dangerous that the Trump administration is focusing on the Nationwide Local weather Evaluation report, “informing them by electronic mail that the scope of the report was being reevaluated.” President Trump appears to not imagine that local weather change is an actual hazard to the USA and the remainder of the world. We are able to see damaging results even now, sooner than scientists anticipated, and it’ll solely worsen because the nation and the world continues to spew greenhouse gases.
The fires right here in Southern California are an instance — and there are lots of extra — of the rising numbers of billion-dollar local weather disasters. I’m considering of my kids, grandchildren and hopefully great-grandchildren, and what they’ll face within the coming many years. Trump and the politicians who’re backing him ought to cease and consider their descendants too.
Maggie Wineburgh-Freed, Los Angeles
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To the editor: The stupidity of the Trump administration’s firing of local weather scientists is astounding. It’s clearly a blatant try to cover the proof of the various existential threats going through the world, which teeters on the precipice of tipping factors that may condemn present and future generations to unimaginable risks. Trump is making a gift of our risk of a greater future in commerce for better income to a fossil gas trade that has constantly lied to us for the previous 50 years.
It’s crucial to grasp the approaching risks to the fullest extent doable, utilizing the most effective science out there. By the point the implications of those actions occur, it will likely be too late to carry the perpetrators accountable for his or her acts of cruelty.
Phil Beauchamp, Chino Hills
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To the editor: I’m unhappy to say it, however right here’s one other dumb determination by the Trump administration. Why is that this administration so afraid to review the local weather and the effectiveness of our methods to mitigate the various adverse results we really feel and can proceed to really feel? There’s lots of magical considering occurring, as if we don’t examine one thing, it could’t be actual.
Gerda Newbold, Santa Monica