Musk may be on right track with climate change

We are living in such a complex and surprising world. Recently, a friend sent me a link to a video demonstrating that Elon Musk, who avidly supports Trump, is or at least has been an advocate of a carbon price. In the recent past, he made a video explaining the need for a price on carbon to reverse the damage to our atmosphere done by burning fossil fuels. He explains how the world evolved in the past centuries from burning wood and whale oil to burning fossil fuels and now it needs to switch to renewables. He says this change will happen, and if we do not change quickly, the displacement and destruction from climate change will be worse than that done by all past wars. Watch it yourself: youtube.com/watch?v=S50kDP6NNmw. He explains that there is now essentially a subsidy for fossil fuel production because they do not pay for the damage fossil fuels do to the environment. Putting a tax on carbon would change incentives and solve the crisis. It is hard to know what to make of Mr. Musk, but he has demonstrated that he has an impressive scientific mind and clearly understands the climate crisis. His leadership with electric cars has changed the automotive industry. Let’s hope he can influence the new administration to face the climate future.

Nancy Hasenfus, M.D.,
Brunswick