My Letter To Michael E. Mann

Getting help from experts. It’s all part of the plan to save the habitability of the Earth for everyone and their children.

Dr. Michael E. Mann is one of the world’s leading climate scientists. For the last few years, he’s turned his attention to climate communications. He works to debunk the nonsense used to distort climate science. The fossil fuel industry and its insane supporters are doing everything they can to ensure that profits are maximized — and the Earth destroyed.

We’ve started a movement dedicated to mobilize the moral force of ordinary people everywhere, and use Gandhian tactics to overwhelm leaders, force the stabilization of the climate and ensure a better future for humans and all the species that share the Earth with us. Towards that end, I’ve written a letter to Dr. Mann which I will be mailing today.

Yes, I’m sending an actual letter — not an email — because I believe that a physical letter has a better chance of being noticed and read.

Here’s the text — minus my contact information and a few other details that I’d rather not publish here.

November 27, 2023

Dear Dr. Mann:

I believe you are the most important voice speaking about the climate crisis in the world today. In fact, I believe that you and your climate scientist colleagues shouldn’t be mere advisors to governments on climate policy. Climate scientists — people with the knowledge and ability and, I would add, integrity to deal with the crisis — should be running policy.

There are many of us who want climate scientists in charge of addressing this crisis. We have a demand:

We demand an immediate worldwide emergency program, led by climate scientists, to end fossil fuels, end climate abuse and repair our planet.

We are aware that leaders in business and government everywhere have failed catastrophically on the most critical issue of our time, and that the future and wellbeing of everyone’s children is in great danger if their failed leadership is allowed to continue. We understand that, in response to Dr. James Hansen’s historic 1988 warning, leaders have chosen to do the opposite of what’s required. They have sharply increased fossil fuel use and CO2 emissions — with the results we see today.

The leaders, systems, laws, norms, and culture that brought us to this dire situation are literally insane and many of us will no longer cooperate with, respect, or support them.

To knowingly destroy the habitability of the planet that you and everyone you love lives on is literally insane. To obey or follow the destroyers would also be insane. But millions and probably billions of people love their children and Nature, and oppose this insanity — or would if they had an effective way to do so. Voting has failed. Protest has failed. Millions and perhaps billions feel powerless and they are despairing, fearful, anxious.

We have a small but growing group of people, determined to harness our love for the Earth and our children to make a Gandhian effort to protect the climate. We call ourselves The Saners. We will not use violence. Our efforts will be analogous to the strategy that Gandhi used to oust the British from India and that Dr. King used to integrate schools and shops in the racist American South. Except, ultimately, our movement will be much bigger.

Why am I writing to you? I founded this movement and live in Philadelphia. I am hoping you will meet with me to chat about these ideas, and I’d like your thoughts and advice about them. I also wanted you to know, in advance, who we are and what we intend to do. That said, we do not have all our plans mapped out. There will be a great deal of improvisation.

You have a large body of climate experts to work with. I am not an experienced organizer and have never been involved with movements in a serious way before. I am reaching out to people who know more than me to adjust and improve and focus this movement’s approach. Your perspective is important to me.

Regards,

Ray Katz