The United Nations Inter Panel Committee on Climate Change recently released a report that paints a rather grim outlook for our future.

We clearly cannot wait to act as climate-related floods, fires, storms and extreme weather grip our nation. Acting now for an individual, however, sounds daunting. After all, what can I do to change the weather?

Fortunately, there are many ways to help save our planet. One way is to put the brakes on plans to begin oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. To help save the Arctic — filled with caribou, migratory birds, and threatened polar bears — the U.S. just needs to do nothing.

But doing nothing in the Arctic requires our lawmakers’ support. In 2017, oil companies successfully got their way when Congress opened up the Arctic for leasing. President Biden paused the oil leases, but a pause is not enough.

We need our lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to demand that we do nothing for the rest of time. We must leave the Arctic alone permanently to help save our planet and protect this wild place.

Jan Cornelius-Knudsen, Portland