This past week, Sen. Hatch and Sen. Lee joined 20 other Senators who sent a letter to President Trump, encouraging him to withdraw from the International Paris Climate Agreement. On Thursday, Trump did withdraw, meaning the U.S. joined Syria and Nicaragua as the only three countries on earth that do not endorse the agreement. Meanwhile, China and India are on track to surpass their commitments they made in Paris.

Why would our Utah senators sign such a letter? Ostensibly because they think remaining in the Paris Agreement would hamper Trump’s shuttering the Clean Power Plan. They wrote, “remaining in it (the Paris Agreement) would subject the United States to significant litigation risk that could upend your Administration’s ability to fulfill its goal of rescinding the Clean Power Plan.”

I suspect the senators represent the view of many of Utahns who don’t like government regulation. On the other hand, the majority of Utahns would like to curb pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The Yale Climate Opinion Maps find that 67 percent of Utah adults support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant.

Would Utah have benefitted from the United States remaining in the Paris Agreement? I think so. With Utah’s great potential of solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power (see the Solutions Project), Utah could become energy independent while cleaning our badly polluted air. Also, given the industry and ingenuity of Utahns, we could become leaders in the development of clean energy, as well as find clean uses for coal, like carbon fiber.

Is there a way to honor our commitments made in Paris, yet not depend on the Clean Power Plan? A group of seven senior Republicans called the Climate Leadership Council thinks so. They advocate a policy called Carbon Dividends that would do just that. They call for a steadily rising price on carbon fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) with the return of the net proceeds equally to all Americans in the form of a regular dividend. Part of their proposal eliminates the Clean Power Plan, as they calculate their plan would curb greenhouse emissions more than the Clean Power Plan.

A carbon dividend policy should also please Utahns who do not want government regulation. A steadily increasing price on carbon fuel sources uses the market to drive the transition to clean energy. As fossil fuel-derived energy becomes more expensive, businesses and individuals will make lower carbon choices, like electric vehicles and buying homes and buildings with better insulation. Many are surprised to know that major oil companies like Shell and Exxon Mobil support a carbon fee. They prefer a market-based solution and also would like the predictability of a known carbon price.

How can we build political support for a carbon fee? On June 13, I will join 18 other Utah volunteers with the nonpartisan Citizens’ Climate Lobby in Washington, D.C. We will be among 900 volunteers who will meet with our Members of Congress and/or their aides, to call on them to enact carbon fee and dividend legislation, similar to what the Climate Leadership Council advocates. I believe that concerned citizens can overcome the influence of big money and partisan politics. If you agree that climate action on a federal level and honoring our commitment at the 2015 Paris Summit are in our best interests, please write or call your members of Congress and tell them. You will amplify our voice as we meet with Congress.

In a survey of Legislative Correspondents (aides to our members of Congress) the Congressional Management Foundation found that if 50 or more people write about a given issue, most members of Congress will seriously consider it. Doesn't something as consequential as addressing our damage to the climate and the United States honoring our commitment to the Paris Agreement merit your taking a few minutes to voice your opinion?

David Folland, MD, is a retired pediatrician and volunteer Utah State Coordinator with the nonpartisan Citizens Climate Lobby.