Engineering Problems?

To the Editors:

I'm writing to correct the false claim that "engineering problems" are at the "root" of the climate crisis which was published in your recent editorial, "A Bad Climate for Divestment."

As someone who graduated from Harvard with an engineering degree, I take issue with the idea that technical problems lie at the heart of climate change. A study published in 2011 by Stanford and UC-Davis engineers showed that we could supply 100% of the world's energy demand by 2030 entirely through existing safe renewable energy technologies that are already in use.

At this point, preventing the climate crisis is a question of political will—and our federal government is being held hostage by the influence of fossil fuel corporations. As an alumnus who would like to support Harvard, I cannot bring myself to donate money while I know that my money would support the corruption of our democracy and the massacre of innocent victims of climate change.

Sincerely,

Collin Rees '12

Mtito Andei, Eastern Province, Kenya