Alaska is witnessing climate change.

It’s seen it before.

It’ll see it again.

Of course, it’s concerning. It affects the state’s landscape and the creatures living here.

The issue requires a measured and fair response. Something like that of Sen. Lisa Murkowski when she responded this week to President Donald Trump’s withdrawing the United States from the international landmark climate change agreement originally devised in Paris.

Trump, in making the announcement, stated he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.”

It isn’t difficult to imagine the applause he gets from Trump voters for that line.

It’s generally agreed that the climate is changing. The debate is whether it is natural or man made.

Trump hasn’t completely ruled out a responsible approach. But he’s choosing the nation’s economy over the agreement that is viewed as anti-capitalism. As a capitalist nation, the U.S. has thrived.

His decision will be debated well into the future, even by some of his strongest supporters who disagreed with him on this issue but stand solidly behind him on most others.

No matter how much an advocate of economic development and extraction of natural resources that affect the climate one might be, it is clear that none of that occurs independent of the climate. To what extent is where Trump and his opponents on the issue disagree.

Murkowski, who like Trump is a Republican and advocate for development, supports the nation’s role in addressing climate change.

“Because we see it here in this state,” she stated. “…we have an obligation to help address it.”

Whether it’s in Paris or elsewhere, she added, there’s no ignoring this issue.

And there isn’t. But it will take Americans largely coming to an agreement before entering into one with other nations again. Not to adopt that approach leads the nation in and out of similar Paris agreements with the frequency of presidential elections.

— Ketchikan Daily News,

June 3