Links:

Citizens Lead for Energy Action Now (CLEAN)

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

Coal Moratorium Now!

 

GLOBAL WARMING

Who Believes and Is Taking Action?

Virtually every major scientific organization dealing with Earth science has specifically endorsed the findings of the IPCC. 

Here are some examples:

  • A listing of Scientific Organizations, Business Leaders, and others who have taken the position that Global Warming is Real and a Problem can be found here, with specific quotes for most of them.
    • More Links to numerous scientific organization’s position on climate change. Here.
  • In 2007 the National Academies of 13 Countries signed a statement which said in part:

“Recent research strongly reinforces our previous conclusions. It is unequivocal that the climate is changing, and it is very likely that this is predominantly caused by the increasing human interference with the atmosphere. These changes will transform the environmental conditions on Earth unless counter-measures are taken.”

  1. Academia Brasileira de Ciéncias,Brazil
  2. Académie des Sciences, France
  3. Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy
  4. Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
  5. National Academy of Sciences, United States of America
  6. Royal Society of Canada, Canada
  7. Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Germany
  8. Science Council of Japan, Japan
  9. Academy of Science of South Africa, South Africa
  10. Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
  11. Indian National Science Academy, India
  12. Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, Mexico
  13. Royal Society, United Kingdom
  • In 2005 The Academies of Science of the eight leading industrialized Democracies (G8) released a joint statement stating:   “Climate change is real.   The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions.”
  • American Geophysical Union:  The world's largest society of Earth and space scientists has released a new statement on climate change that unequivocally names human activity as the cause of global warming. AGU is a worldwide scientific community that advances, through unselfish cooperation in research, the understanding of Earth and space for the benefit of humanity.  It says, in part:

“The Earth's climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming. Many components of the climate system—including the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of sea ice and mountain glaciers, the sea level, the distribution of precipitation, and the length of seasons—are now changing at rates and in patterns that are not natural and are best explained by the increased atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases and aerosols generated by human activity during the 20th century.
“With such projections, there are many sources of scientific uncertainty, but none are known that could make the impact of climate change inconsequential. Given the uncertainty in climate projections, there can be surprises that may cause more dramatic disruptions than anticipated from the most probable model projections.”

These web pages have more on the scientific consensus about Global Warming.

Governments across the globe, including state governments of the United States, are taking steps and spending money to deal with global warming.  The glaring exception to this trend is the federal government of the United States.   Examples of what governments are doing:

  • The Kyoto Protocol now covers more than 170 countries globally and more than 60% of countries in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions. As of December 2007, the US and Kazakhstan are the only signatory nations not to have ratified the act.
  • Ten Midwestern leaders – Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Governor Chester J. Culver of Iowa, Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio, Governor M. Michael Rounds of South Dakota, and Premier Gary Doer of Manitoba –  signed the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord.  It calls for them to “Establish greenhouse gas reduction targets and timeframes consistent with MGA member states’ targets, and Develop and implement additional steps as needed to achieve the reduction targets, such as a low-carbon fuel standards and regional incentives and funding mechanisms.”
  • The State of California has done the following –
    1. Implemented measures that have kept the states energy consumption nearly constant while population and the economy have grown
    2. Committed to use no coal generated electricity – even if it was generated elsewhere.
    3. Attempted to set higher standards for auto emissions – which the EPA is blocking.
  • The State of Kansas has denied a permit for a new coal plant specifically because of its CO2 emissions. News article here.
  • Cool Cities:  These are cities that have made a commitment to curb global warming by signing the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement which calls on them to “Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities…”

Cool Cities
(Click map for to interact)

  • The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) - Seven states that include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont are participating in the RGGI effort to develop a multi-state cap-and-trade program covering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • A list of state Governments that have taken action on Global Warming, with links.