The United Nations just issued a report that should have made front-page headlines in newspapers worldwide. It should have been the lead story on every newscast.

The report, prepared by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was a warning for all of us living on Earth of the dire effects of global warming if we can’t drastically cut our emissions in the next decade. This is not a hoax or “fake news.” The report was prepared by esteemed and dedicated scientists who have thoroughly studied the issue.

All of us are witness to ever more frequent and intense storms, droughts, wildfires, floods. This past summer, Portland Harbor was several degrees warmer than normal. Lobsters are moving northward; our pine forests are dying, and more and more people are suffering from asthma, cancer and other environmentally related maladies.

The IPCC’s conclusion is that we have only a decade to address this issue before there is irreversible damage to our planet and to life on Earth. You can read a summary of the findings here: bit.ly/2Cru3M7. The catastrophic events we have been experiencing will only intensify as Earth’s temperature continues to rise.

It may seem that the problem is too great to even think about. Our current political leaders call it “fake news” and cut regulations on carbon emissions. But climate change is the greatest threat to life on earth that we have ever faced. All other problems pale in comparison.

We have an opportunity coming up in just a few weeks to make a difference. Vote! Vote for candidates who will support clean energy, a healthy environment and drastic reductions in carbon emissions. Vote for candidates who understand the problem and will lead us to solutions before it is too late.

Lynda L. Sudlow

Parsonsfield