Global Warming Solutions News

Boston—EnvironmentMassachusetts called on its Congressional delegation today, Earth Day, toendorse a statement of principles for “strong, fair, and science-based” federallegislation to address global warming. The “Principles for Global Warming Legislation” were released today byRepresentatives Henry Waxman (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Jay Inslee (D-WA)and will eventually be sent in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Globalwarming is a challenge of enormous proportions, but these principles provide ablueprint for America to do its part to solve global warming.  To protect our environment, oureconomy, and future generations, our leaders must rise to this challenge.  We call on the rest of ourRepresentatives in Congress to endorse these strong principles,” said EnvironmentMassachusetts Field Organizer Winston Vaughan.

Accordingto the letter, “Acting in accordance with these principles is critical toachieving a fair and effective bill that will avoid the most dangerous globalwarming and assist those harmed by the warming that is unavoidable, while strengtheningour economy.” 

“Theseforward-looking principles are like the difference between night and day comparedwith the grossly inadequate goal for global warming announced by President Bushlast week,” said Vaughan.

LastWednesday, President Bush announced a new goal to halt the growth in U.S. globalwarming emissions by 2025.  TheDepartment of Energy projects that U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissionswill rise by 12% above 2006 levels by 2025.  In stark contrast, in 2007, the United NationsIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that globalemissions must peak no later than 2015 to prevent catastrophic effects ofglobal warming.

TheWaxman-Markey-Inslee principles build on the Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590),which is the leading global warming bill in the House and has a total of 152cosponsors.  The bill wouldestablish a comprehensive, science-based framework for addressing globalwarming in the United States. Representative Waxman is the chief sponsor of the bill.

The principlescall for reducing total U.S. emissions of global warming pollutants by 15-20%by 2020 and by 80% by 2050 in order to keep the global rise in temperatures tono more than 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees C) over pre-industrial levels.  This is the threshold beyond which manyof the most dangerous impacts from global warming will become inevitable,according to the most recent science.

Theprinciples also call for requiring polluters to pay for their emissions and usingthe revenue to invest in “the best clean energy and energy efficiencytechnologies” and to “return revenue to consumers.”

Inthe coming weeks, Environment Massachusetts will encourage members of the state’sCongressional delegation to endorse the principles by lobbying, organizingcall-in days, raising the issue in the media, and through other tactics.

RepresentativesWaxman, Markey, and Inslee are senior members of the Energy & CommerceCommittee; Representative Waxman is also chair of the Oversight Committee, andRepresentative Markey is chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence andGlobal Warming.

The “Principlesfor Global Warming Legislation” are available at http://www.oversight.house.gov/.

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