In response to the Aug. 19 opinion “Climate change harms and benefits are not 50-50,” I thank Orlando Delogu for expressing his opinion about the stark reality of climate change.

I’d add that this crisis is indisputably global, greater than the pandemic or any world war. The climate flood of 2022 in Pakistan was all the proof we needed. Over 30 million people were displaced and over 1,700 drowned. The UN Secretary General Guterres let the world know, in no uncertain terms, that Pakistan had only contributed to 1% of climate change. He called out, as he has repeatedly done, to the fossil fuel industry to stop all new drilling. He wanted to know who was going to help pay for the $30 billion in loss and damage to Pakistan. After long debates at COP27, the richest countries agreed to pitch in and establish a climate damage fund to help poorer countries affected.

The takeaway from this disaster and its follow-up is that now we know that the positive steps we take to reduce emissions, from right where we are, contribute to the well-being of places and people we may never know.

Jan Kubiac
Member, South Shore & Cape Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby
Hyannis, Mass.