Latinos, Faith, and the Real Cost of Climate
“¿Cuánto cuesta?” asks Blessed Tomorrow Executive Committee member and National Latino Evangelical Coalition President Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero in a recent op-ed for The Huffington Post. In English, “How much does it cost?”
In response to climate solutions, such as proposed EPA carbon regulations on power plants, some have said that acting on climate will hurt minority communities and the most vulnerable. In his op-ed, Rev. Dr. Salguero turns this argument on its head by pointing out the numerous ways in which these communities are already paying the price of inaction.
For Rev. Dr. Salguero, leading on climate change is an essential part of how people of faith live out their mission to care for “the least of these” and “love their neighbor.”
¿Cuánto Cuesta? Evangélicos and Climate Change Inaction
The Rev. Gabriel Salguero, Contributor to The Huffington Post and President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
As an evangelical, I believe that “I am my brother’s and sister’s keeper.” That means that I have a moral responsibility to protect those closest to me, as well as my “neighbors” around the world. In my eyes, living this mission includes supporting climate change solutions that will help to clean the air, defend the vulnerable, and provide our children with the best possible future.
In the wake of the EPA’s latest announcement of a plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants, some groups have been quick to argue that the regulations will hurt the poor and minorities. Let me first say that though I am skeptical of these group’s motives, as a Christian and a Latino, I appreciate any time that the conversation centers on “the least of these.” However, while these groups may talk about future costs, they ignore the high price already being paid by the vulnerable. The argument around price tag, “¿Cuánto cuesta? have been pitched to our communities without highlighting the real cost of inaction on families and communities throughout the world.
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