Climate Change as a Security Issue

To the Editor:

Your article about climate change was very timely given the recent havoc in the Pacific because of stronger hurricanes, typhoons and so forth. And there have been so many “natural” disasters in the last few years that it is becoming apparent to me that it is not natural.

People fighting to stay alive through these events surely won’t recognize borders. Our national security as well as our health systems and our economy could all fall apart.

While a bill to curb global warming has already passed the House, it sets up a complex system that could take time to put into effect. Representative John B. Larson and Representative Bob Inglis both have carbon tax bills that would be simple to enforce and could, if passed, be acted on right away.

If someone were firing a missile at us, we would act immediately to protect ourselves. We need to treat this national security threat with the same urgency.

Holly Foster
Poway, Calif., Aug. 11, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/opinion/l14climate.html?_r=1&ref=opinion