Climate Refugees are Everywhere

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Jon Freise

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Jan 2, 2022, 10:47:36 AM1/2/22

to Transition Twin Cities

Hi Everyone,

I was reflecting on the year and the changes happening in our climate. The disasters are now very widespread. They can happen almost anywhere. Fires, Tornadoes, the Gulf Hurricane Ida that carried so much water it was able to flood the east coast even after traveling across the continental US.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2022/01/01/people-who-lost-homes-to-colorado-wildfires-begin-new-year-surveying-destruction

I remember being forced to move out of my apartment when record snow falls and rapid thaw / freeze cycles turned the houses 3 flat roofs into ponds that poured into the structure. That move alone cost me over $6000.00 in expenses I did not plan. And the owner suffered tens of thousands in damages.

Those costs could have easily paid for a solar PV system that met that homes need for energy. If we could have used the cost of that damage as a down payment on a loan, we could have brought that house up to passive house standards and entirely erased its carbon foot print.

What will likely be the cost of those 1000 structures? Or the flooding in New York? Or the Town of Lytton BC that burned to the ground?

I am wondering if our reporting on these disasters does not need an adjustment: Instead of saying "this was caused by climate change" it might help to say "this was caused by fossil fuel induced climate change". And it might help to ask the residents if they would rather pay a little bit more for renewable energy if that had saved their home / town / loved one? How much more?

Right now 90% of the economy is non-fossil fuel and it is being destroyed by the fossil fuel 10%. How can we wake up the 90% to this danger?

Another policy I would like to see pursued is to start a Carbon Catastrophe Tax and Relief Fund. Right now these disasters are being paid for by all tax payers. I would like this burden shifted to the polluters. Just the conversation about what is fair and who should pay would be valuable. Of course you need a carbon tariff on imports to prevent US goods from being priced out by off shore polluters. But a Minnesota version could certainly be created or even added to the cost of carbon when choosing power plant technologies at the PUC.

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2022 have more fairness, justice, truth and democracy :)