Feds Quiet on Extra Danger to Children From Lower Funding in Climate Change Law
Silence reflects silence on other harms to children
Real Reason for the US-Viet Nam War
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Publication: each Saturday by 9 a.m. East Coast US time. Editions alternate between: (1) the hidden 1870s–1954 US colonial period in Viet Nam, and (2) a common pattern of racism in that hidden, early US activity in Viet Nam and in US society.
Prior issues may be viewed at https://briandroesch.substack.com/
Feds Quiet on Extra Danger to Children From Lower Funding in Climate Change Law
Silence reflects silence on other harms to children
The US Government passed climate legislation in August 2022, but fails to inform the public about how much danger of death to children will arise from a failure to fund higher amounts. The amount in the legislation is under $40 Billion per year, equal to 1/20th of the military budget. This failure to inform the public about that danger is similar to failures to inform about other dangers to children.
In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) wrote a 700-page report on the impacts of global warming of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.5 degrees Celsius. It stated a stark warning about future years. In those years, today’s children are at risk of devastating consequences if the warming rises above 1.5C.[i]
Only 12 years remained, IPCC said, to make huge changes energy infrastructure to limit global warming. But the US Government has wasted the next four years, including the recent refusals of Republicans and two right wing Democrat senators to approve higher funding.
The risk is on the children, much more than on the adults who are making the decisions. And the risk is rising. Earth is four years closer than in 2018 to irreversible climate change and devastation. For example, during December 10–11, 2021, in less than 24 hours, 71 tornadoes devastated a swath through 7 US states. That was even before climate tipping points have arrived. Tipping points, scientists say, will bring much worse storms and catastrophes. More examples in this pre-tipping point era are that droughts and fires are becoming a way of life in formerly marvelous areas.
Many youth are aware of the danger to today’s children of future early death.
Photo: Youth carrying sign at demonstration
Credit: Pixels.com
Failure to inform on other devastation to children.
White-Black Family Wealth Gap. A 10-to-1 wealth gap average between white families and black families in the US causes obvious damage to large numbers of black children. The kinds of damage include differences in all of the following and more: opportunities, education, enrichment experiences, and housing. This wealth gap was caused by 400 years of discrimination, including violence, since 1619. Some say no, it was only 250 years of discrimination, including violence. Either way, one purpose of the violence was to give economic advantages to whites over blacks. The only other theory, racial superiority/inferiority, has been thoroughly debunked. No reasonable debate exists on that other theory.
Agent Orange/Dioxin/Toxins Birth Defects. In 2022 in Viet Nam, about 150,000 children suffer from birth defects from the US government spraying Agent Orange/dioxin/toxins in Viet Nam during 1961–71. The US Government fails to inform the public about this emergency in the quality of life of these children. The 150,000 is an estimate, as a high death rate exists among such children.
Photo: Exhibit on 150,000 children
Credit: Trienlamdacam.vn
What global warming risk to today’s children? The past failures to inform the public on those two groups of children calls for a close watch on the US Government’s failure to inform the US public of dangers to children, if global warming surpasses the 1.5C mark. How many does the government expect will die an early death due to global warming?
[i] National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (February 24, 2022). “The IPCC Climate Change 2022 Impacts Report: Why it matters” https://www.noaa.gov/stories/ipcc-climate-change-2022-impacts-report-why-it-matters.
https://www.vox.com/2018/10/8/17948832/climate-change-global-warming-un-ipcc-report
Umair Irfan (Oct 8, 2018). Report: we have just 12 years to limit devastating global warming.