To The Editors:

Many advocates and individuals concerned about the climate crisis have come to the conclusion that federal legislation to address it is entirely impossible until after the 2028 general election. But this is simply not true. A recently passed funding package included language from a previously proposed bill, the PROVE IT Act, to require the Department of Energy to report on carbon emissions from manufacturing. Gathering this data promotes cleaner products. Since American goods are less carbon-intensive than foreign ones on average, this policy also boosts domestic industry and employment. It paves the way for future legislation to charge a fee based on the emissions intensities of imports, like the E.U. and Canada do, to further reduce carbon pollution. 

Several bipartisan policies to address barriers to clean energy installation and prevent wildfires have also been proposed and are gaining significant momentum in Congress. Additionally, there are huge opportunities for climate policy in many parts of our country at the state and local levels. All this to say: we must not lose hope, and we must not wait. There is no better time than now to become a climate advocate.

– College third-year Holly Swiglo