Talking About Change
Two weeks ago, the President announced a "momentous" global warming initiative, which essentially validated the status quo for the next two decades. As I wrote last week, this proposal misses the mark. I was not alone. As the New York Times reports, "critics — including environmentalists, scientists and lawmakers — said the effort was too little, too late." And the President's critics were not restricted to the United States. Although the President timed his remarks to kick-off a round of international climate discussions in Paris, the Agence France Press announced that those present at the meeting were universally "dismayed by the tenor" of the President's remarks. And Germany decried the speech as "a step backward."
On Capitol Hill, Representative Jay Inslee (D-Wash) dismissed the President's remarks as a "can't-do plan for a can-do people." His concern prompted Representative Inslee, along with Representative Ed Markee (D-Mass) and Henry Waxman (D-Cal) to declare four essential Principles for Global Warming Legislation. These leaders on climate change policy don't simply want to stabilize emissions in 2025 – they propose substantial reductions (15-20% of US emissions by 2020; 80% reductions by 2050). In particular, they ask the United States to introduce legislation to:
1) Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming;
2) Transition America to a clean energy economy;
3) Recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and
4) Aid communities and ecosystems vulnerable to harm from global warming.
I applaud Reps. Inslee, Markee and Waxman for stepping forward. Their declaration alone won't reduce US emissions. But hopefully, it will create the needed momentum to get a bill introduced in the House. If enough Members join the Principles, it will send an important message to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and to the President that the American public believes climate change is real and demands that the US respond.
Click here to read the COEJL Action Alert and urge your Representative to support the Global Warming Principles. And tell them that these Principles are just a starting point -- it's time to move beyond simply talking about climate change and to introduce legislation that makes a difference.
