These past few months have taken a serious toll on the United States. The rise of COVID-19, police brutality on the innocent and heated political debates about the election coming this fall. But there is a larger, looming threat that has been removed from the public’s attention. That threat is climate change and the consequences it will have if not stopped.

Conversations and plans about climate change have been around since 1824, with physicist Joseph Fourier, writing about the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect and how humans may alter this. So, why haven’t we been able to address climate change with a plan? In recent times, many talks about climate change have been politicized. It becomes a left versus right issue, a right or wrong way, etc. But we need to step aside from politicians and work together to address this.

In the U.S., one plan has seen bipartisan support to help address climate change. This is the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. First assessed in the House of Representatives, this plan calls for a fee to be placed on carbon at the source starting at $15 per metric tonne then raising by $10 each year. This will allow for greenhouse gas emissions to fall and to adjust to cleaner energy. Then with the collected fee, the sum would be returned equally among households. This will help boost the economy and help people to switch to greener energy sources.

Climate change is the greatest threat to the United States, and so far we have failed to address this issue together. But with the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividen Act, we can come as one and halt the consequence of climate change.