The fact that 78% of Maine physicians surveyed said that climate change threatens their patients’ health (“Climate change is already affecting Mainers’ health, doctors say,” May 27) is both alarming and unsurprising, as most of us are clearly dealing with ticks, heat and anxiety.

But it was surprising and refreshing to learn that the American Medical Association in 2022 called upon its members to advocate for policies that limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, support a rapid clean energy transition, etc.

If any AMA members (or anyone else, really) is looking for such a policy to advocate for, please read up on Carbon Fee and Dividend (there’s a Wiki), also known as carbon cashback. It is a way to shift the economy away from fossil fuels with a system of fees to reflect how much pollution will be emitted by the burning of the fuel. Fees would be paid by fossil fuel producers.

The cost of the damage done to our health and atmosphere has never been factored into fuel prices, but when it is, market dynamics will force consumption of polluting fuels to decrease, green renewables will be favored, and carbon emissions will decline.

The version of this policy contained in H.R. 5744, the Energy Innovation Act, also favors low-income households, because the pollution fees are collected and distributed to all American households on a regular basis in equal checks for everyone.

Our members of Congress need to hear about solutions.

Cynthia Stancioff
Camden