A climate crisis is happening

To the Editor;
An OpEd was published by Matthew Gagnon where he placed doubt on current climate science by identifying examples of some past climate predictions which never happened. If all of us had a dime for every economic forecast, or political science poll or sports prediction that didn’t happen in the past we would all be rich.

In today’s potpourri of journalism, there is sometimes a tendency to use false equivalencies. The practice of comparing one item to another that in fact should not be. Gagnon’s comparison of a few dire predictions made years ago to today’s climate science is a disservice to his readers.

What is important today is to recognize today’s climate and weather trends plus current scientific consensus — all of which leads to the recognition that there is a crisis happening which will require action.

In business and other disciplines, you make decisions based on the best and most current information available. To not do so is a path to certain trouble. Even if the current climate consensus were to be proved wrong, what are the worst consequences? Those that doubt current climate science will say there will be an economic disaster. Now that is a premise that is worth debunking — if not for ourselves, than for our children and their children.

Peter Reilly
Belfast