A6
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
U.S. can’t take
on climate
change by itself
“
The U.S. can’t go it alone.”
For many years policy
wonks in Washington,
D.C., and elsewhere have told
Americans the U.S. shouldn’t
take on major international
issues by itself.
Whether it’s fighting terror-
ism or procuring fair trade deals,
we’ve been told that the U.S.
should join coalitions and not
go it alone.
Add climate change to that
list. President Joe Biden is mak-
ing the battle against climate
change a signature issue of his
administration. He has formed
a high level climate office, can-
celed the Keystone XL oil pipe-
line from Canada, stopped
oil and gas drilling on federal
land, rejoined the Paris Cli-
mate Agreement and injected
climate into almost every pol-
icy-level discussion in the fed-
eral government.
Fair enough — as long as the
U.S. economy in general and
agriculture in particular aren’t
sacrificed.
Farmers and ranchers are
especially worried. On the one
hand, they are told by some cli-
mate and anti-agriculture activ-
ists that they are a major con-
tributor to climate change. Such
accusations have been proven
wrong, by the way.
On the other hand, farmers
and ranchers are told they are a
best hope for fighting climate
change. By using their land and
crops to sequester carbon, they
will keep it from getting into
the atmosphere and intensifying
the greenhouse effect, trapping
solar heat.
As a result of the mixed sig-
nals, farmers worry their voices
— and their livelihoods —
could be lost amid the climate
change rhetoric.
A recent statement puts the
climate issue in a completely
different light.
John Kerry, the adminis-
tration’s lead person on cli-
mate issues, told the BBC that
the U.S. could reduce its car-
bon emissions to nothing and
it wouldn’t have a significant
impact on the climate.
“He (Biden) knows Paris
(climate agreement) alone is not
enough,” Kerry was quoted as
saying. “Not when almost 90%
of all the planet’s global emis-
sions come from outside of U.S.
borders. We could go to zero
tomorrow and the problem isn’t
solved.”
Unnamed in that conversa-
tion was the largest source of
atmospheric carbon: China.
According to the website
Investopedia, China is the larg-
est carbon polluter — by a long
shot. It produces 28% of the
atmospheric carbon — almost
double the amount produced by
the U.S.
And China’s contribution to
the problem continues to grow.
Its carbon dioxide emissions
are up 270% from 1992, and
according to its statement in the
Paris accords will not peak for
nine more years.
By comparison, U.S. carbon
emissions are up 1.8% since
1992.
That means China has had its
foot on the gas — literally —
while the U.S. has slammed on
the brakes.
The next largest source of
carbon is India, at 7% of the
world’s total. Its emissions are
up 253% since 1992, according
to a 24/7 Wall Street report pub-
lished in USA Today.
Biden says the U.S. “must
lead” the effort to slow climate
change.
But he must also make sure
other nations, including China,
are following and will do their
part so a meaningful reduction
on atmospheric carbon can be
achieved.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Successful project management
W
hether leading a small or
large project, there are
key ingredients to suc-
cess. First, the scope of the project
as well as a clearly defined outcome
must be determined and understood
by the stakeholders. This begins
with a leader who possesses the
appropriate kind of leadership style,
which is typically that of a visionary
and participant.
Identification of the necessary
steps, the requirements to achieve
these milestones (for example, per-
mitting, purchases, acquisitions,
navigation of regulatory issues, etc.)
and the estimated timeline to reach
each goal is paramount to success.
One of the most overlooked fac-
tors is the ability to be flexible.
Despite the best of plans, circum-
stances will no doubt change, and
modifications will be made. It is a
delicate balance between remaining
focused on the set goals and adapt-
ing to unexpected events, diver-
gence of opinions and other fac-
tors outside of the project manager’s
control.
Buy-in from stakeholders must
be obtained, and often there is a
reluctance to share information or
to compromise to achieve mutu-
ally beneficial goals. This is where
excellent communication and listen-
ing skills come in. Each party must
feel their needs and desires are being
addressed with the end result being
a general consensus. Depending on
the type and scope of a project, pro-
viding adequate progress updates
to a manager, employer or the pub-
lic is important, as well. The leader
flexibility is a must.
6. Conduct regular meetings with
the stakeholders and others involved
in the project to make certain every-
one remains on the same page and is
aware of the progress being made or
obstacles which may occur.
7. Regularly report to the gov-
erning body or the public through
memos, conference calls or press
releases and interviews with media,
depending on whether the project is
private or public.
8. When milestones are met, con-
gratulations should be given to the
whole team and shared with the par-
ties to whom the group is account-
able. There is no one person who
will be responsible for the success
of the project.
9. Provide constant oversight of
the budget to make certain there are
adequate funds available and that
they are being allocated properly.
10. Did I mention remaining
flexible? A project of any size can
be compared to safely landing an
airplane. Adjustments for weather,
wind speed and direction, etc. must
be made.
Seeing a successful project and
its benefits come to fruition is a very
rewarding and time-intensive expe-
rience, but the points listed above
should provide an outline to achiev-
ing that goal.
Greg Smith is the director of the
Eastern Oregon University Small
Business Development Center, 1607
Gekeler Lane, Room 148, in La
Grande. For free, confidential busi-
ness advising, call 541-962-1532 or
email eousbdc@gmail.com.
should provide an
update of the proj-
ect and openly
state any delays or
successes. Praise
should be given
to the team as a
whole.
Greg Smith
In conclusion,
here are the key steps of successful
project management:
1. Develop and communicate the
purpose, benefits and outcome of the
project to obtain consensus from the
stakeholders.
2. Determine where adequate
financial resources will originate.
3. Create and oversee a bud-
get after necessary expenditures are
identified.
4. When necessary, obtain the
assistance of individuals outside
of the project with various areas of
expertise.
5. The project manager should
fill at least two roles:
• Explain the overall vision to
obtain the desired outcome.
• Identify the steps and neces-
sary timeline.
• Play a “hands-on” role to be
sure milestones are being met in
a responsive manner.
• Be flexible and adjust to
changes in the plan. This may
mean something that was
communicated a month ago
is no longer pertinent. These
circumstances may result from
new knowledge obtained,
regulations and processes or
situations completely out of
the manager’s control. Again,
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Time for a change
WHERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax:
541-575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509.
Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@
centurylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John
Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028.
Fax: 541-575-1721. Email: cityjd@
centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601.
Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@
cityoflongcreek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426,
Monument 97864. Phone
and fax: 541-934-2025. Email:
cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688.
Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@
ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605.
Fax: 820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.
net.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Published every
Wednesday by
To the Editor:
I am a citizen of this great coun-
try, the United States of America,
and the state of Oregon. I have been
witnessing shameful partisan rhet-
oric from both sides of the political
spectrum for almost five years. Even
more so since the election of 2020.
This is unacceptable. The citizens of
this state and country elect their rep-
resentatives to fulfill the job of pro-
tecting us, as citizens, and the Con-
stitution of the United States from
those that seek to destroy it. You are
failing.
As I watched 2020 end and
the divide of the citizens grow
ever wider, you as elected offi-
cials play games in Washing-
ton, D.C. This risks the country
to divide even more. Elected offi-
cials are there to protect all rights
of the people, life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness as well as
the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights. The political rhetoric and
constant lashing out at each other
serve the people — not.
The Founding Fathers of this
country never intended for the coun-
try to be run by career politicians.
Take the example of our first Presi-
dent George Washington: The peo-
ple wanted him to stay in office, but
he said no. He didn’t want to be seen
as a king or trying to become a mon-
arch. Learn from his example and
follow it.
There has been past legislation in
Washington, D.C., for term limits.
Most of the citizens of this country
L
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
want Congress to be term limited.
Up to 70% of the citizens believe
term limits for Congress would be a
good idea. You as politicians should
be listening to the people.
Politicians that think they are
too important are causing the parti-
san problems in Washington, D.C.
The president has term limits, and so
should Congress.
No official for the House should
be allowed to serve more than three
terms and should not be allowed to
serve in the Senate after they have
served in the House. This would
have the appearance of playing
games to stay in Washington, D.C.
Senators should be limited to two
terms with the same restriction.
Ed Clark
Prairie City
Phone: 541-575-0710
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