Whether it’s Pacific Northwest flooding or the other “strange” weather phenomena we’ve been seeing in the U.S. and across the globe, the present-day risks of a changing climate are real and threatening — to say nothing about the future risks.

But the current economic downturn often drowns out calls for major spending to lower emissions or otherwise address climate change. Still, the reality is that the two — economic and environmental revitalization — can and should go hand in hand.

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A great introduction to why is available from Frank Ackerman in Dollars & Sense magazine. “Climate Economics in Four Easy Pieces” doesn’t even need five full pages of English to make a strong case for action that stands up to climate change deniers.

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