Editor:

In previous comments, I was not alone in describing the climate crisis as a moral imperative. Preventing the world from becoming intolerably overheated, destroying essential natural systems that make human and other life possible, is unquestionably an urgent priority. So, why isn’t more being done about it, and why wasn’t corrective action taken years ago, when scientists first advised that burning fossil fuels was destroying Earth’s ecosystems?

There are at least two other interlocked imperatives that must be acknowledged if we are to resolutely mobilize our collective capabilities to effectively resolve the climate predicament.

First is an imperative to honor the truth instead of fabricating it for political and/or economic advantage using nefarious manipulation of media.

Without a factually-based shared reality, democracy is impossible because viable agreements cannot be reached. Unless we can restore widely accepted support for science by discrediting deceptive accusations that attribute subversive motives to the use of well-informed expertise, we are doomed.

Second is attaining and strengthening dominant conscientious purpose, or intention, devoted to undeviating commitment to the common good.

Rather than deferring critical decisions to public officials who often compromise public interest, citizens must work with one another to implement a more ambitious, equitable agenda proportional to the enormity of the challenge.

If shared truths will again be held “self-evident” to support the vital pursuit of humanity’s self-interest, we must assume responsibility for the consequences of our actions and the obligation to collaborate in serving urgent imperatives. The future of our civilization depends on it.

David Kyler, Center for a Sustainable Coast