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Support bills on greenhouse gas emissions

Thursday, February 15 at 4:10 PM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Baxter Pharr, Silverthorne

On February 2, 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (a group of hundreds of scientists representing 113 countries) released what may be the most extensive study ever on global warming. In the study the scientists conclude that the globe will warm 3.2 to 7.1 degrees (best estimates) by 2100 and that the burning of fossil fuels is “very likely” to blame. They also project a 7 to 23 inch rise in sea level, although an additional 3.9 to 7.8 inches is possible if recent, surprising melting of polar ice sheets continues. Although the Bush administration criticized an earlier 2001 IPCC study for saying that most of the planet’s warming was due to human activity, they have apparently reversed course and accepted that the burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming. President Bush even called for a 20% reduction in U.S. gasoline usage by 2017 in his recent State of the Union Address.

There are two bills currently circulating through Congress that address the rapid buildup of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. The first is a revised version of the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act that was rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate last year. The new bill, which is supported by Obama and Clinton, requires a 50% reduction in U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. The second bill sponsored by Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer of California requires an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. With Democrats now controlling the House and the Senate, one of these two bills is likely to arrive on President Bush’s desk for signature.

It appears likely, however, that Bush will veto either of these bills. He has strongly resisted mandatory caps on greenhouse gases in favor of voluntary reductions. With global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels hitting record highs, we can see that this policy has failed miserably. The automobile industry simply cannot be trusted to voluntarily do what is best for the environment. Their primary motivation is to do what is best for their bottom line. Auto manufacturers only began installing seat belts when they were required by law to do so. Likewise the auto industry only began mass production of higher mileage vehicles when they were required by law to do so. By the same token, GM, Ford, Honda, and Toyota only began producing zero emission cars in Caifornia when the California Air Resources Board mandated them to do so. (GM and the Bush administration then sued CARB claiming the zero emissions mandate was too burdensome. CARB backed down and the car companies then stopped producing battery-powered electric vehicles, took away cars from people who wanted to purchase them, crushed, and shredded them.) We can see how effective a policy of expecting the auto industry to voluntarily reduce emissions has been.

It is time to email President Bush at comments@whitehouse.gov and tell him not to veto this important bill. It is also time to email John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Barbara Boxer (do a Google search) and tell them they have your full support to get these bills to the president’s desk.

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