This is why Delaware must see the Climate Chance Solutions Act passed | Opinion

Climate change is the most consequential issue facing our generation. Decisions we make today will undoubtedly affect the state of the world we leave to our children and grandchildren here in Delaware and across the globe. For this reason, we must act now to preserve our local ecosystems and communities. There is no time to delay.

The fight against climate change is not just offensive. It is defensive too. Our neighbors and friends are already contending with devastating climate change impacts. Worsened storms and increased flooding events have forced many Delawareans out of their homes and cost the state millions in beach replenishment and lost tourism dollars. Dependence on polluting fossil fuels for power has resulted in higher energy bills, dirty air, and burdened lungs.

These negative effects on our lives and livelihoods are not difficult to notice. According to a recent poll, 83% of Delawareans share concerns about our state’s air quality. Another poll found that a majority of Delaware residents in all three counties report being personally impacted by climate change.

Given the stakes, our state leaders must take big, courageous steps toward a cleaner, greener future for Delaware now, starting with the passage of the Climate Change Solutions Act. With this bill, the state will seek to limit our greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of 2005 levels by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050, setting the stage for one of the nation’s strongest climate pollution reduction targets. Rather than work as a mandate on individual consumers or businesses, the Climate Change Solutions Act would function as a roadmap for how the state plans to mitigate the crisis’s future impacts and address its present concerns.

In the coming years and decades, our government is guaranteed to do two things. One, build or repair bridges, roads, and other pieces of infrastructure. And two, use our tax dollars to fund that construction. If passed, the Climate Change Solutions Act will allow for additional conversations that ensure infrastructure built today is not susceptible to damage from hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes tomorrow. By accounting for the aftermath of worsened storms and rising sea levels in every level of government planning, we increase the durability of our state in the fight to adapt to climate change. Simply put, this bill will ensure we invest our tax dollars wisely.

In addition to fortifying what we construct, the Climate Change Solutions Act will also allow for preserving our state’s natural world. When state leaders ignore environmental impacts, developers build over wetlands and knock down scores of trees. By keeping climate pollution front of mind, we can preserve our state’s wetlands and forests that capture and draw down harmful carbon emissions. The Climate Change Solutions Act will conserve these natural defenses against global warming and institute safeguards to protect our state’s scenic environment for future Delawareans. This is something that more than 80% of Delawareans support.

The fight to preserve Delaware will not be won in days or months, but by victories and successes spanned across years and decades. Accordingly, the Climate Change Solutions Act calls for regular updates to Delaware's Climate Action Plan and requires key state agencies participate in climate planning. This legislation would also call on state agencies to use the full extent of their existing power to keep Delaware on track to meet its emission reduction goals. Lastly, though climate impacts are widely felt, select communities are disproportionately impacted by poor air quality, sea level rise, and other climate impacts. The Climate Change Solutions Act would require consideration and outreach to overburdened communities to ensure equitable emissions reductions statewide.

General Assembly members, thank you to the 30 of you who have agreed to co-sponsor this bill. For the remaining members, Delaware needs your leadership. Pass the Climate Change Solutions Act. We cannot remain unmoved as the climate crisis continues to wreak havoc on our neighborhoods, raise our energy bills, and damage our infrastructure. We owe it to ourselves and the generations after us to act. Three in five Delawareans believe the state should take action to combat the climate crisis. If you agree, we challenge you to contact your local legislator.

With planning and dedication, we can preserve our ecosystems and chart a clean energy future for Delaware, where our children and grandchildren can breathe easy and thrive now and into adulthood.

Dustyn Thompson is the Sierra Club's Delaware Chapter director.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Climate Solutions Act must pass