What's New
Global warming is the challenge of our
generation, and we owe it to future generations to take action.
Scientists agree that global warming is real, that it’s human-caused
and that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 if
we're to avoid the worst consequences of a warming planet. Luckily, we
have the technology and the solutions to global warming at our
fingertips.
Nationally, two
important science-based global warming bills have been introduced. In
the Senate, Senators Sanders and Boxer have introduced the Global
Warming Pollution Reduction Act and in the House, Rep. Waxman has
introduced the Safe Climate Act. Both bills would cut reductions to the
levels scientists say are necessary to avoid the worst effects of
climate change.
Locally,
Environment New Mexico is working to make New Mexico a national leader
in solutions to global warming by increasing the state's use of
renewable energy sources like solar and wind, cleaning up the cars we
drive and making sure that the buildings we live and work in are more
energy-efficient.
How You Can Help
Please call New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman
and urge him to cosponsor the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act,
legislation that will reduce global warming global warming pollution
nation-wide to levels necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global
warming.
Brief Summary
More and more Americans are becoming
concerned about global warming. As power plants and cars spew out more
global warming pollution, we will see rising sea levels along the
Eastern seaboard, more intense storms in the Gulf, droughts in the West
and more dangerous heat waves across the country.
The
good news is that if we act now and act decisively we can stop global
warming and protect our children and future generations.
That
is why Environment New Mexico is working both in Washington D.C. and in
the state, urging Congress to reject ineffectual proposals and set
science-based targets for reducing global warming pollution from power
plants, cars and other sources and advocating for strong global warming
policy in New Mexico.
Nationally,
two important science-based global warming bills have been introduced.
In the Senate, Senators Sanders and Boxer have introduced the Global
Warming Pollution Reduction Act and in the House, Rep. Waxman has
introduced the Safe Climate Act. Both bills would cut reductions to the
levels scientists say are necessary to avoid the worst effects of
climate change.
Unfortunately,
New Mexico Senator Bingaman is pursuing national legislation that would
allow emissions to rise by 30%, which will lead to emissions levels
that will pose significant adverse health, economic and social
consequences for future generations. Emission reduction requirements
must be consistent with what scientists say is necessary to reduce
potentially catastrophic warming. Additionally, the safety valve
mechanism in Senator Bingaman’s bill poses an impediment to U.S.
participation in international trading systems and a barrier to
significant reductions in emissions. A safety valve would violate the
integrity of the emissions cap and would potentially flood the world
market with new U.S. allowances.
That’s
why Environment New Mexico supports the Global Warming Pollution
Reduction Act (Senators Sanders and Boxer) and the Safe Climate Act
(Rep. Waxman). We’re urging Senator Bingaman to support Senator Boxer’s
bill, which will achieve the reductions scientists say are necessary.
Locally,
Environment New Mexico is working to make New Mexico a national leader
in solutions to global warming by increasing the state's use of
renewable energy sources like solar and wind, cleaning up the cars we
drive and making sure that the buildings we live and work in are more
energy-efficient.
New Mexico has already taken a leadership role in developing solutions to global warming.
In
2005, Governor Richardson issued an Executive Order creating a Climate
Change Advisory Group (CCAG) and directing it to prepare a report
laying out policy recommendations for reducing New Mexico’s
contribution to global warming by 10 percent below 2000 levels by 2020
and 75 percent below by 2050.
At
the end of 2006, the CCAG, a group of 37 stakeholders from government,
industry, utilities, agriculture and the nonprofit sector, issued its
final policy recommendations to the Governor. A total of 69 policies
were voted on and 67 were adopted unanimously and included in a final
report to the governor.
Governor
Richardson has already announced his support for many of these
policies, including the Clean Cars program, a program critical for
cleaning up global warming pollution from New Mexico’s cars and trucks.
In the 2007 legislative session, several important clean energy bills
passed including a measure to increase the state’s Renewable Energy
Standard to 20% by 2020, a bill directing that building codes be
changed so that new construction is solar-ready, a bill to enhance the
transmission of renewable energy from where’s its produced to where
it’s needed and a bill that will provide tax credits to large-scale
producers of renewable energy.
But,
much more needs to be done. Environment New Mexico is currently working
to further enhance the state’s use of renewable energy, ensure greater
building efficiency in new construction and get cleaner, less polluting
cars on New Mexico’s roads.
