Climate change is undeniable… unfortunately, the signs are everywhere. In the water you drink, the air you breathe and the very earth on which you stand. The climate is changing faster than ever before in modern history. 

What is happening is not natural, as some might claim. And it definitely is not a hoax. Most developed countries and even many underdeveloped countries have recognized that change is an issue and are doing something to combat it. However, the United States is doing little to even recognize climate change, let alone do anything about it. 

It’s not just that the current administration has ignored the obvious effects of climate change; it has blatantly rolled back Obama-era environmental regulations and actively contributed to unethical environmental practices. 

“The administration has been working to actively censor climate science within its own agencies, and has established a climate change review panel tasked with questioning the findings of the country’s National Climate Assessment,” a National Geographic article titled Climate change report card: These countries are reaching targets said. 

It has become increasingly obvious that the current administration regards money over human life. Thank God there is a new administration coming in January, one that actually has a plan to bring about change. 

Here’s the deal: I want to feel OK about bringing children into this planet. I want to age peacefully without worrying that the air I’m breathing is poisonous. I don’t want to see annual wildfires ruining lives and  landscapes. I don’t want to dread hurricane season as hurricanes continually become worse. I shouldn’t be fearing for cities on the coast as ocean levels rise.

The effects of climate change are far-reaching. Around the world, quality of life is dropping. The internal displacement monitoring center said that extreme weather events displace 25.3 million people every year.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “The United States emitted 5.1 billion metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide, while the global emissions of energy-related carbon dioxide totaled 32.5 billion metric tons.” 

Yet many adamantly deny the reality of climate change. 

President-elect Joe Biden has said that climate change is “number one issue facing humanity,” and he’s right. How can we try and rectify issues like racial and gender inequality if the world in which they are corrected is damned? 

The Paris Climate Agreement is an accord meant to strengthen the global response to climate change. Nearly 200 parties are members of the agreement; the most significant holdout is the United States. 

“After a three-year delay, the US has become the first nation in the world to formally withdraw from the Paris climate agreement,” a BBC article on the United State’s withdrawal said. “President Trump announced the move in June 2017, but UN regulations meant that his decision only takes effect [Nov.4], the day after the US election.”

The BBC the U.S. formally withdrew Nov. 4, the day after the election. This only further cements its lack of response to the worsening climate conditions.

But it’s not too late, and the bottom line is, you need to act NOW. Not within a few years, not by 2030, but now. Because I want a safe future for this generation and the generations to come.