A Great Miracle Happened Here: The United States Finally Acts on Climate Change
For years, I have been frustrated by our nation's intransigence – our stubborn refusal to commit to greenhouse gas reductions or even acknowledge the reality of climate change. Last week, Australia signed the Kyoto Protocol, leaving the United States as the only industrialized nation that has not signed the international treaty. This week, 180 nations have joined together to negotiate a new climate treaty and set a roadmap for international action in Bali, Indonesia. And the United States continues to eschew its role in the global solution. Yet, despite this, our country took a tremendous step forward last Wednesday when the United States Senate Environment and Public Works committee passed the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S 2191). Admittedly, this is only the first of many hurdles before our country enacts a comprehensive climate change policy; however, it is a remarkable achievement nonetheless.
The Senate vote was particularly timely – as it occurred during our celebration of Chanukah. This week, the Jewish people commemorated the ability of one day's oil to satisfy eight days' needs. The Lieberman-Warner bill makes brings this lesson to life by mandating the emissions reductions that make it possible.
