Opinion: The road ahead for environmental protection

The Inflation Reduction Act has made transformative investments in Wisconsin and across the Country. Congress must protect it.

Reflecting on my 40-year career as an environmental engineer I am compelled to reveal some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about global warming. The global temperature trends predicted by the computer models of the 1980’s have tracked quite well, as evidenced by billions of measured data points over decades of extensive study. I’m rarely 100% sure of anything but now I’m 99.9% sure that global warming represents a clear and present danger to current and future generations.

As a Wisconsinite, I am inspired by the environmental leadership of Gaylord Nelson, former Wisconsin governor, congressman, and founder of Earth Day who launched a new wave of environmental activism in the 1960’s and 70’s. It was through his tireless activism and legislative actions that a bi-partisan congress was rightfully compelled to pass the Clean Air and Water Acts and other important environmental legislation.

Over the past 50 years, air and water pollution has decreased dramatically even as the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, has quadrupled. Endangered and threatened species have returned, improving overall biodiversity in nature. Remember the serious concerns over acid rain and that formerly-menacing ozone hole? Thanks to regulations and global agreements, these and other environmental crises have been largely averted.

It is important to note that each of our successes resulted from first clearly understanding the science, followed by enacting laws that provide for environmental protections in the best interest of the current and future generations.

What Can We Do?

IRA (Inflation Reduction Act)

Since 1992, at least a dozen partisan and bipartisan climate-related bills have been proposed and defeated in Congress. So we’ve already kicked the can down the road.

The signature bill of our time is now the InflationReduction Aact (IRA). Though maybe misnamed, it is currently the clean air/water act of our time. With its $369 billion in climate and clean energy investments, it’s the largest, most ambitious climate legislation Congress has ever passed. Multiple independent analyses show the bill will reduce US greenhouse gas emissions some 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.

The IRA seeks to accelerate the transition to clean energy through incentives (carrots) like grants, tax deductions and low interest loans. In addition, the IRA offers incentives for homeowners and businesses to improve energy efficiency through using heat pumps, hot water heaters, appliances, etc.

In Wisconsin, 90 large and small projects have already been funded totaling more than $2 billion in grants. The IRA is having a positive impact on our state and national economy but it’s now on the chopping block. Congress has the power of the purse and should not allow this proposed defunding process to happen.

Environmental protection can be accomplished without breaking the budget. It is not, nor has it ever been, frivolous “pork barrel spending”. It is an important investment in our children’s future. See through the fog of disinformation and vote for forward–thinking environmental legislation and funding.

Unreasonable doubt has slowed the implementation of real solutions. We should avoid the temptation to delay and defer. Avoid an unnecessary neglect-then-panic cycle. Ask yourself: What would Gaylord Nelson do? What would Aldo Leopold do?

Realize that we’ve come far with respect to environmental protection. With logical thinking and coordinated effort we can go farther. More citizens must see through the conspiracy theories and accept that global warming must be addressed… now. Based on what I’ve seen, I believe that cooler heads can prevail.

Please don’t leave all the heavy lifting to our children and grandchildren.