'We Need the Maximum'

Editor:

The ever informative Barry Evans described last week the threat from the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC (“AMOC and the Inevitable Climate Threat,” Feb. 20). It is only one of a number of climate tipping points, but it is likely to be highly consequential (or even “devastating”) for the United States and Northern Europe. And it is increasingly likely to tip before 2100. The only thing that might prevent the collapse is a very rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Which leads me, by a somewhat “amok” logic, to the transit funding in Measure O. It would have been great if our board of supervisors had specified in advance how much of the funding for roads and transit was to go to each. Since that didn’t happen, we need the maximum in transit funds we can get compatible with drivable roads. Why? Because transit is a way of getting where we want to go that minimizes our daily contribution to the collapse of AMOC. To the extent it also fosters fixing our housing crisis with highly efficient infill buildings, we get twice the AMOC value from it. There are lots of other ways we can slow the collapse of AMOC (the new Climate Action Plan will be approved this year). But making transit a better alternative is one we can take now.

Dan Chandler, Trinidad