California Takes the Lead in the Race
Against Global Warming
By: Jennifer Altavilla
Although the federal government continues to balk at creating global warming legislation, preferring to hold the increasing ridiculous stance that there is not enough evidence to warrant decisive action, California, the world’s twelfth largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, has taken over the leadership role. The groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which will go into effect in 2012, institutes a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, which will hopefully result in a 25% reduction of such emissions by 2020. High pollution industries such as oil refineries and power plants will be required to reduce their emissions and will be carefully monitored by state regulators. However, if a particular company believes it cannot meet the stringent new regulation standards, it is allowed to buy emission credits from another company (5).
This innovative legislation was preceded by the equally revolutionary “Pavley Law,” the first state (or federal) legislation designed specifically to reduce motor vehicle pollution. The Pavley Law, which stipulates that the most cost-effective and feasible measures be taken to reduce emissions from passenger cars and light trucks, was adopted in 2004 by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and will be completely phased-in by 2009 (7). It is unbelievable that such a law took so long to be developed, considering that in the United States 33% of carbon dioxide, the most ubiquitous and destructive greenhouse gas, is produced by transportation. In California alone the percentage is even higher, with 41% of carbon dioxide being produced by transportation (7).
Because states responded enthusiastically to the Pavley Law (ten states have since established similar regulations), it is reasonable to trust that this new legislation will be accepted just as warmly. Even so, there are parties opposed to both pieces of legislation. The auto industry, namely Honda, has voiced concerns that it lacks the technology to make all passenger cars fuel efficient enough to comply with the Pavley Law. Because similar regulations are now in effect in ten other states, failure to reduce emissions by 30%, in compliance with the new standards, could potentially result in the loss of 30% of the U.S. market. Auto lobbyists are calling for a federal, nationwide fuel economy standard so that auto industries don’t waste money and resources producing cars with two or more different fuel standards, but so far their request has not been addressed (2).
Although the auto industry is concerned about the economic hit it will take by having to reformat cars, and although President George Bush said in a 2001 speech that instituting stringent regulations on greenhouse gas emissions could potentially lead to a “negative economic impact, with layoffs for workers and price increases for consumers,” the United States clearly needs to take resolute action (8). The new Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 will bring California close to meeting the regulations of the Kyoto Protocol, a global initiative to reduce carbon dioxide (and five other greenhouse gas emissions) that the U.S. helped create, but failed to ratify. Currently, 165 countries, which together emit 55% of greenhouse gases, have ratified the Kyoto Protocol (6). It is despicable the United States, producer of 20% of the world’s greenhouse gases, both refuses to participate in international efforts to curb global warming and fails to take action at the national level, thus rendering statewide reform the only option.
President Bush can no longer contend that the government needs to take the “flexible approach” in order “to adjust to new information,” because evidence is no longer lacking, as it was five years ago (8). The National Academy of Science declared in June 2006 that “recent warmth is unprecedented for at least the last 400 years and potentially the last several millennia” (1). The three warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998. Nineteen of the warmest twenty years on record have occurred since 1980. It is speculated, although still not scientifically proven, that increased atmospheric heat energy is responsible for fueling one-half of the hurricanes in the North Atlantic since 2005. James Hansen, the “world’s leading researcher on global warming” and head of NASA’s top institute for studying climate, warns the polar ice cap is melting at warp speed and if the world does not halt global warming now, in 10 years it will become “unstoppable”(3).
The evidence is there right in front of our very eyes, yet the federal government continues to keep its blinders on. California made the first bold leap, but without the help of the federal government to nationalize both the Pavley Act and the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the United States cannot make a valuable contribution to stopping global warming. It is beyond the economy, beyond potential job loss and price increase. Resilient U.S. citizens can survive a slight decline in economy, even a crash as was proved back in 1929, but the U.S. and the rest of the world cannot survive the catastrophic effects of global warming.
Sources:
1. Associated Press. “Congressional Scientific Commission: Global Warming is Real, Caused by Humans.” 23 June 2006. 11 Oct. 2006 <www.foxnews.com>.
2. “California and Global Warming Regulations.” 11 Oct. 2006 <www.hybridcars.com>.
3. CBS News. “Rewriting the Science.” 30 July 2006. 12 Oct. 2006 <www.cbsnews.com>.
4. 11 Oct. 2006 <www.newscientist.com>.
5. Keith, Tamara. “California Takes a Stand on Global Warming.” 28 Sept. 2006. 12 Oct. 2006 <www.voanews.com>.
6. “Kyoto Protocol.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 12 Oct 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org>.
7. Union of Concerned Scientists. “California Regulates Global Warming Emissions From Motor Vehicles.” 28 Oct. 2005. 12 Oct. 2006 <www.ucsusa.org>.
8. The White House. “President Bush Discusses Global Climate Change.” June 2001. 11 October 2006 <www.whitehouse.gov>.
