In 1990, the United States government enacted the Global Change Research Act, a law that requires a report to Congress every four years on the environmental, economic, health and safety consequences of climate change. The latest report was just released, and you can download an easy-to-read Executive Summary here: US Global Change Research 2017.

The breadth and depth of research are impressive, as are the credentials of those involved. Contributing scientists work for governmental agencies like NOAA, NASA, and the EPA, universities in a dozen states, and executive branch departments from Commerce to Defense to Health & Human Services. And yet the report could be summed up in one sentence: “This period is now the warmest in the history of modern civilization.”

It’s so important to be armed with such solid research. What’s even more important is acting it. The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was a great start, but that was nearly 30 years ago. It’s time for the Carbon Fee & Dividend Act of 2017.