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Global Warming Solutions News
For Immediate Release:
4/20/2004
For More Information:
Contact Ben Wright (617) 747-4313 Report Lays Out Blueprint For Climate-Friendly State PolicyAs the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Massachusetts can be contacted regarding this news release. BOSTON—In order to help the state meet global warming pollution reduction goals set by Governor Romney and other northeast governors, a report released today by environmental organizations—"A Blueprint for Action"—lays out the critical elements of climate-friendly policy. "These are the building blocks for any successful Climate Action Plan," said Frank Gorke, one of the report's authors. "The steps outlined in A Blueprint for Action are the ones we need to take in order to avoid a future with drastically higher levels of pollution." In 2001, the governors of the New England states and the premiers of the Eastern Canadian Provinces set goals to cut global warming pollution. They set out to bring emissions in the region down to 1990 levels by 2010; 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020; and 75-85 percent below current levels in the long term, to mitigate human impacts on the climate. That regional plan was viewed as a major step forward for efforts to control rapidly rising levels of global warming pollution. Since then states and provinces have been working to craft plans that will achieve the necessary reductions. "Gov. Romney has set laudable goals for cutting global warming pollution," said Cindy Luppi, one of the report's authors. "Now he needs to take the next step and develop a Climate Action Plan that outlines how the state will hit those goals. Blueprint for Action outlines the policies that are essential to a successful Climate Action Plan." The report predicts that, under a "base case" scenario, Massachusetts' direct global warming emissions—from all sources other than electricity generation—will increase by about 36 percent between 1990 and 2020, while regional emissions from the New England-wide electricity sector could increase about 42 percent over the same time period. The report analyzes separately electricity sector emissions and direct emissions--from in-state cars, trucks, homes and businesses, not including electricity use--because of the regional nature of the electricity grid. "The climate disruption caused by greenhouse gas emissions will bring rising seas, far more volatile weather and tremendous damage to our environment, economy, and society," said Seth Kaplan, a Senior Attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation and a reviewer of the report. "Adoption of a rigorous Climate Action Plan will be an important step by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts towards taking leadership in confronting this threat." "A Blueprint for Action" calculates the expected global warming pollution reductions from a mix of clean energy policies and compares the "clean energy" scenario to the "base case" scenario. The policies recommended in "A Blueprint for Action" include stronger energy conservation programs; more use of clean, renewable solar and wind power; and standards for cleaner cars. One major finding of the report is that tools are available today to cut emissions from the electricity sector enough to hit the goals. "A strong, effective cap on power plant carbon dioxide emissions is absolutely crucial," said Marc Breslow, Director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network and a reviewer of the report. "Massachusetts should finish the job with the Filthy Five, and then make sure the region develops strict limits as part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative." A second finding of the report is that the biggest challenge for the regional effort will be cutting transportation emissions, which are rising rapidly as vehicle fuel efficiency declines and people drive more miles. Despite the expected challenge, the report identifies six policies that can be implemented today that would achieve significant reductions in pollution levels. A combination of emissions standards for cars and trucks, standards for low-rolling resistance tires, smarter growth requirements, and other programs would reduce global warming pollution in 2020 by 3.03 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE), which is about 43 percent of the reduction in direct emissions necessary to hit the regional goal. "We know the important first steps toward cleaner transportation policy: carbon standards for cars, more efficient vehicles, and smarter growth patterns," said Gorke. "We have to commit to those steps today, and devise other state-level policies to cut transportation pollution." The report, "A Blueprint for Action," is available at www.newenglandclimate.org—. Hard copies are available on request.
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