Americans face a momentous choice as Election Day draws near. Climate change is one of the many issues at stake, and the difference between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump – by temperament, experience, character and vision – could not be more stark. Hillary Clinton is committed to building on the significant progress that has been made to address the global threat of climate change during the Obama administration, from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan to the landmark international climate agreement forged in Paris last year. We simply cannot afford to let climate denier Donald Trump wreak havoc on our environment here at home and across the planet. Hillary Clinton offers a different path, one informed by science, international cooperation and a proven track record of strong support for environmental protections and climate change action.

Climate change is already taking its toll here in New Hampshire. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, and the city of Portsmouth is already hard at work on developing adaptation strategies. Warming temperatures are causing negative effects on the health of our wildlife, from moose to fish to birds. Our maple sugar and ski industries are projected to suffer in future years if no action is taken to reduce carbon emissions. The public health effects of carbon pollution are becoming more apparent with respiratory diseases and asthma attacks expected to increase as a result of dirty air and increased temperatures. The impact of these changes on New Hampshire’s economy are significant. While some argue that the economic cost of taking action is too much to bear in a fragile recovery, the cost of inaction is greater and will increase these threats.

Amid the dire and growing effects of climate change, the good news is that there are workable solutions that will both reduce the threat and benefit the economy.

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the Clean Power Plan in 2015, providing a flexible strategy for states to meet a national standard to reduce power plant carbon pollution by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Power plants account for 40 percent of carbon pollution in the United States, and while there are limits on how much mercury, arsenic, and other pollutants that can be dumped into the atmosphere, there were no current national limits on carbon pollution. The Clean Power Plan will help protect us from the health and economic impacts of climate change, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is already at work on our state’s strategies to meet the proposed carbon reduction targets.

The Clean Power Plan will also promote economic growth, building upon proven strategies that are already helping to grow the economy and reduce carbon pollution at the same time. New Hampshire, along with its New England and northeast neighbors, is part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which has injected more than S2.9 billion into the regional economy, providing funds for energy conservation projects and the development of alternative sources of clean energy production. RGGI has also saved consumers over $1.5 billion in their electric bills in the first five years of the program’s operation. Common sense solutions such as RGGI and the Clean Power Plan are strongly supported by voters and elected officials of all political stripes.

All of this progress is at risk during this election. We must support political leaders who have a demonstrated commitment and concern for the future of our nation and the world. Hillary Clinton has put forth a strong environmental and climate change agenda that defends and builds on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, including the Clean Power Plan. She has pledged that the United States would make large investments in renewable energy, enough to power every home by 2027 and deploy more than 500 million solar panels across the country, a 700 percent increase from 2014 levels. Increasing investments in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will create thousands of jobs, supporting a clean tech economy that can lead the world.

In contrast, Donald Trump is a captive of the special interests that have worked to undermine sensible approaches to address climate change, and has stated that "climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese."

An avowed climate change denier, Trump has repeatedly called for abolishing the EPA, rescinding the Clean Power Plan, and removing the United States from the Paris climate agreement. Trump has falsely said that solar energy was expensive – in fact, the cost of installing solar has dropped more than 70 percent in the last 10 years, sparking significant job growth while reducing energy costs for both residential and municipal customers.

New Hampshire voters are practical, demonstrating time and again that they are far more likely to support leaders who approach our challenges, whatever they may be, with clarity of thought and a sincere understanding of Granite State values. On climate, energy, and environmental issues, Hillary Clinton is that leader, having earned our support by not only her words but also by her actions.

Rob Werner is the New Hampshire State Director for the League of Conservation Voters

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