Today, Environment Ohio released a new report, Global Warming Solutions that Work,
which details more than 20 examples of cutting-edge policies and practices that
communities, states and countries are using to reduce global warming pollution.
For the United States to make the emission reductions
science tells us will be necessary – cutting emissions by at least 15-20
percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050 – will require major changes in many
areas of America’s economy, from the increased use of clean, renewable energy
to dramatic improvements in the efficiency with which we use energy in our
homes, businesses and vehicles. But solutions exist today that can get us much
of the way there. And communities across the country – and around the globe –
are making those solutions a reality.
“This report shows that other states and nations are leading
the way and that Ohio,
too, can tackle this problem,” said Amy Gomberg, Advocate with Environment
Ohio. “Ohio’s leaders have recently shown a
true commitment to clean energy, energy efficiency, and to making Ohio more energy
independent. Now, we need to take the issue of global warming head on and put a
cap on our greenhouse gases,” said Gomberg.
From rising sea levels along the East Coast, to more intense
hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, to increased drought and water shortages in
the Southeast and West, global warming will leave no corner of America unaffected unless the United States
takes serious action soon. Models show significant impacts on Ohio’s
ecosystems, as well, negatively harming Ohio’s
agriculture, forestry, and shipping industries. The impact of global warming on
other nations of the world also must not be underestimated.
Thousands of the world’s top scientists from hundreds of
nations serve on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). Last year’s release of the IPCC’s seminal report showed that that we
must reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly and dramatically in order to avoid
the most catastrophic, long-term effects of global warming. Specifically, the most important task of any U.S. effort to
address global warming must be to produce significant domestic emission
reductions as soon as possible.
“Global warming is the defining challenge of our time,” said
Gomberg. “The latest climate science tells us that we must reduce global
warming pollution quickly and dramatically to avoid the worst impacts of global
warming. The good news is, we already have many of the clean energy
technologies we need to get started.”
Just last May Governor Strickland signed in to law one of
the strongest renewable energy and energy efficiency standards in the country.
The bill required 12.5% of Ohio’s
electricity to come from clean renewable technologies and an overall 22% saving
in energy by 2025 through energy efficiency.
Currently, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is deciding the
details of how these policies will be implemented.
The report’s authors concluded that cities, states and the
federal government should build upon the successes of the efforts outlined in
the report by setting mandatory, science-based caps on global warming
pollution, adopting strong clean energy policies, and investing in the
transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Individual states and the federal government
should adopt mandatory, science-based caps on global warming pollution. At
minimum, those caps should be consistent with a national goal of reducing
emissions by 15-20 percent below today’s levels by 2020 and by at least 80
percent below today’s levels by 2050. Revenues from any program that puts a
price on global warming pollution should be used to aid in the transition to a
clean energy economy and to reduce the cost of emission reductions to
consumers.
- Cities, states and the federal government should
make energy efficiency improvements and accelerated development of renewable
energy the centerpiece of their environmental and economic development
policies. Advanced building energy codes; strong energy efficiency standards
for buildings, appliances and vehicles; and mandatory targets for renewable
power generation and energy efficiency savings are among the policies that can
reduce global warming pollution and put the nation on a clean energy path.
- Global warming and fossil fuel dependence should
become central considerations in land-use planning and public sector investment
decisions. America
should increase its investment in public transportation and rail transportation
to reduce emissions from transportation. All new public buildings should meet
rigorous standards for energy efficiency and the use of clean energy.
“The rest of the world is looking to the United States
to lead the way in reducing our global warming pollution.” concluded Gomberg. “As the nation’s
fourth largest contributor of the leading greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, Ohio must act. We urge Ohio’s leaders to be a
part of the solution, not the leaders of the problem.”
Six
other Midwestern Governor’s have joined together to form a regional agreement
to reduce the Midwest’s impact on global
warming. Governor Strickland signed on
to the regional agreement as an observer.
“We
encourage Governor Strickland to join with the rest of the region to tackle global
warming by participating in the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reductions Accord,”
stated Gomberg. “We applaud our Congressional Representatives Betty Sutton and
Tim Ryan who endorsed strong principles for Congressional action on global
warming authored by Representative Waxman. We encourage Ohio’s other congressional leaders to take
action, as well,” concluded Gomberg.
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Environment Ohio
is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.
