Letter | U.S. isolating itself with climate denial

Dear Editor: It is a very human trait, when confronted by impending disaster, to cover our eyes, hide under the bed or indulge in some escapist activity in the hope that the disaster simply passes by.

Experience shows that these coping mechanisms are rarely successful. The (now misnamed) Environmental Protection Agency has scrubbed all mention of the connection between burning fossil fuels and climate change from its website. Thus has a once-authoritative agency transformed into a propaganda machine.

Does the agency leadership seriously believe that this ignorant act of information vandalism will make the problem disappear? Will it have any impact on world opinion and the unassailable consensus among thousands of scientists and others that climate change is real and fossil fuel burning has been a major contributor? Even Exxon’s own scientists successfully established the connection some 40 years ago, although senior management did its best to obfuscate in its public pronouncements.

The rest of the world will continue the march towards clean energy sources and reduced carbon emissions, most likely led by China. America will become increasingly isolated, falling behind in the race to develop clean energy, becoming increasingly beholden to foreign manufacturers. And what will be the ultimate cost of that?

Richard Jarman

Madison

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