Man-made global warming is real and coal is dead

Jan 6 2018 Letter-to-the-Editor by non-member Allan Tweddle, Charleston
Charleston Gazette-Mail

Congratulations on the article “US releases major report,” and especially on the front page above the fold.

As one who has been trying to help West Virginia understand that climate change is quite real and, literally, life-threatening, I applaud your publishing of this very critical report where you did.

Addressing climate change is an economic opportunity. It’s the third Industrial Revolution!

Coal’s day is over. Renewable energy is now not only competitive but actually lower in cost than coal-fired power.

And contrary to the false propaganda that’s pumped out there by the fossil-fuel industry, including recently Mr. Bill Raney of the Coal Association, solar energy is reliable with the now-maturing energy systems.

Arizona power and light now has a concentrated solar power plant that is generating electricity wholesale at 3 cents per kilowatt hour, versus 5.6 cents per kilowatt hour at AEP’s John Amos.

Miners can be retrained. Solar jobs pay well.

Across North America, there are now almost three times the number of jobs in solar energy alone, compared to the entire workforce of the fossil-fuel industry, coal, oil and gas.

The devastation and cost due to climate change is going to quadruple in the next 10 years, if we do nothing, from far more intensive fires, hurricanes and rising sea levels.

It’s time to accept the reality and scientific evidence that climate change is real, man-caused and a very real-life threat to the planet.

That said, addressing climate change by embracing the job-creating opportunities should be the focus of all West Virginians, especially those of us who are grandparents.

Allan Tweddle

Charleston