For My Generation, Georgia’s Leaders Must Act On Climate
By Abigail Waldron, June 26th, 2022
I'm tired, but I'm hopeful. It is no longer acceptable to ignore the scientific community on this. Instead, we must push not only our elected leaders in Washington but also our state and local level representatives to do as much as possible, as quickly as possible, to avoid climate disaster. We have the will; we have the drive.
I'm terrified. I'm overwhelmed. I feel like we're all doomed because a group of people decided they would make as much money with as little oversight as possible before I was born.
I'm horrified. I'm furious. The world is burning down around us, and too many of our elected officials have fully decided to continue on as usual. They opt for more drilling. Now, most people in the United States don't trust the government to do what's right. Yet, in 2021, more than 40% of Americans personally suffered from the impacts of climate change in the form of wildfires, droughts, extreme storms, and flooding. Something has to give.
As an organizer, I am doing everything I can to educate people about the climate crisis and the obstruction of climate solutions in Washington, D.C. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives managed to deliver for the American people with a historic vote to approve $550 billion in investments in climate, justice, jobs, and clean energy, developing equity across our nation. However, these investments are now stalled in the Senate. As young people, we will bear the consequences of the older generations' inaction on climate.
The latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes clear that our elected leaders must take action now to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Many of our state’s leaders in Congress, including Senator Jon Ossoff, should be commended for their climate leadership, but we need them to help deliver on federal climate action. Our families will be in harm’s way if we fail to act on climate.
Climate change is causing extreme weather events to be more frequent and severe, with communities across the country paying the price. Every second without climate action is estimated to cost at least $4,700, and this does not even include other expensive costs like health-related impacts. In Georgia, we’re experiencing these impacts here and now – from a worsening pollen season to record-breaking hurricanes.
The crisis in Ukraine has made it clear that we need to move away from dirty fossil fuels and secure our energy independence with clean energy–not more drilling. The clean energy and climate provisions under consideration in Congress would reduce annual US. oil consumption by 180 million barrels per year by 2030–roughly twice current U.S. imports of Russian oil. In addition, bold federal investments in clean energy would create more than 860,000 jobs – including 111,000 in Georgia – and generate $330 billion in economic activity over the next five years.
I'm tired, but I'm hopeful. It is no longer acceptable to ignore the scientific community on this. Instead, we must push not only our elected leaders in Washington but also our state and local level representatives to do as much as possible, as quickly as possible, to avoid climate disaster. We have the will; we have the drive.
I urge everyone to listen to the pleas of younger generations to take the steps necessary to ensure a livable future. And listen to the scientists who've been screaming from the rooftops for your attention. Listen to us and do your job – our climate can’t wait.
Abigail Waldron is an organizer with Change the Chamber*Lobby for Climate. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in History.