Coffman’s stance on climate change disingenuous, irresponsible

When asked by the Aurora Sentinel whether global warming is caused by human activity and what Congress should do to prevent it, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) replied by expressing doubt in the role we humans play in climate change, repeating platitudes of U.S. energy independence, and disparaging those who seek a future beyond fossil fuels. As a published and internationally presented climate scientist – and as a constituent of Colorado’s 6 District – I find Coffman’s statement utterly disingenuous and irresponsible.

Climate research is held to the highest standards of scientific study and scrutiny; as NASA reports, 97% of my fellow actively publishing climate scientist agree that climate change is caused by human activity, in particular the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. While that level of concordance would be considered a miracle, not just the law of the land, in today’s Congress, the figure shouldn’t be surprising. Especially when you know the first published work on the impact of carbon dioxide, the main chemical byproduct of combustion, on our Earth was published in 1896. For over 120 years, we scientists have known that fossil fuels pose a serious risk to this world, and it’s time our nation’s leaders take action. 

{mosads}Given the thoroughly proven fact of anthropogenic climate change, I take issue with Coffman’s stance on energy policy and characterization of people like me as “extreme environmentalists”. Continued dependence on fossil fuels like natural gas or always-dirty coal is not just a risk to environmental and ecological factors like ocean acidification or temperature increases that could completely restructure the world’s ecosystems, but is also a real threat to our local and global community and economy. We’ve already seen increased frequency of floods, fires, and droughts here in Colorado and the West. Rising sea levels pose great danger to many of America’s coastal cities and towns, and those like them around the world. And that’s just the beginning.

As an American who appreciates Coffman’s devotion to our National Security, I see climate change not just as physically endangering our Naval bases and the ultimate object of our armed forces’ protection — our citizens — but as a massive security risk. Climate change has the very real potential to uproot our fellow humans around the globe who can no longer survive in their homes, whether because they are literally under water like the Marshall Islands or dying of heat stroke in places like Pakistan or escaping starvation because it is too dry or too hot for crops even to grow as we are seeing in parts of Iran.

Therein lies the capability to foster and exacerbate civil and international strife in ways Mike Coffman the Marine could never ignore. It is also the potential for a humanitarian crisis like none we have ever seen, something Mike Coffman the Representative of the United States should never support.

I believe Coffman is disingenuous for failing to acknowledge the fully established science of climate change. But he is irresponsible for being willing to expose my neighbors in the 6th District, our fellow Coloradans, Americans, and inhabitants of this earth to such an unimaginable and detrimental future. Initiatives like Democratic candidate Morgan Carroll’s call for energy independence via renewable sources, Colorado’s $5,000 tax refund for purchasing an electric car, Obama’s Clean Power Plan, and the Paris Agreement are but the first steps towards mitigating what many of my fellow climate scientists (and a fair delegation from the Pentagon) view as the greatest threat we face, as Americans and as humanity, in the 21st century. I find climate change and the willingness of Republicans like you, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump to ignore and even oppose this issue — dooming our children and planet to a future much worse than the present — much more concerning than the national debt, Mr. Coffman. And I promise it isn’t just climate scientists who agree with me.

I think Morgan, the generals, and Coloradans might just agree too.

Samantha Lichtin is a graduate of Yale University Department of Geology & Geophysics and is a resident of Highlands Ranch, Colo.

The views expressed by authors are their own and not the views of The Hill.