THE ISSUE
The Threat
"We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted by the fierce urgency of now." --Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The debate is over. Global warming is already occurring and without significant action to reduce carbon emissions within the next decade, scientists predict that the consequences could be severe and potentially irreversible. Our dependence on fossil fuels is transforming the planet. The Earth has already warmed and there is now more carbon pollution in the atmosphere than at any point in 650,000 years. If we do nothing, the Earth could warm by several degrees more.
A 2 degree increase would equal the warmest temperatures in 500,000 years. At that point in time, sea levels were 16 feet higher. Three million years ago, the Earth's temperature was 5 degrees warmer and sea levels were 80 feet higher.
The Consequences
Although life will survive significant increases in temperature, global warming will leave us with a vastly different planet than the one we inherited. The potential consequences of catastrophic global warming include:
- Increased flooding on coastal regions as sea levels continue to rise. If sea levels rise by 80 feet, more than 50 million Americans would be displaced from their homes.
- Heat waves will become more frequent and intense. More than 30,000 people died in Western Europe as a result of record high temperatures in 2003.
- The loss of up to 50% of all species on Earth. Species living at the extremes--the poles or high altitudes--such as the polar bear, are the most vulnerable. But as the oceans warm countless other species also will face extinction.
- Droughts and wildfires will occur more often, as has been the case with the surge in wildfires across Western U.S. states in recent years.
Watch a video from Tom Brokaw's Special "Global Warming: What You Need to Know" on the impacts that are already occurring to the world's glaciers.
To avoid leaving our children a harsh future, we need to significantly reduce carbon pollution within the next 50 years. There is still time, but we must start now.
"How long have we got? We have to stabilize emissions of carbon dioxide within a decade...we don't have much time left."--Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA Goddard Institute
The Opportunity
For the past hundred years, the U.S. has relied on coal and oil to power our economy. That dependence is now a threat to our future. It is time to usher in a new era of energy production and use--one that relies heavily on clean, safe, alternative energy. Solving global warming will reduce our dependence on oil, strengthen our economy, and protect our planet. But it will not be easy.
Transforming our energy sector away from fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, toward new clean technologies will require a serious commitment. Like all great challenges, it will require bold leadership and a clear vision.
The greatest resource at our disposal is American ingenuity, which political leaders have refused to tap. The federal government continues to ignore existing solutions, like increasing fuel efficiency in our cars or significantly boosting production from renewable energy, which can help move us in the right direction. Even worse, by placing no limit on carbon pollution, we are deepening our dependence on fossil fuels, as investors continue to lack a clear market signal to shift investment to new energy technologies.
By placing a mandatory limit on carbon pollution, we can send a clear signal that we are committed to ending our dependence on fossil fuels.
For details on solutions to global warming, check out "The Tipping Point" on NRDC's website.
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by Andrew Snow