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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Friends of The Earth (FOE) Nick Berning, 202-222-0748 |
Obama’s Commitment to Tackle Global Warming Welcomed, But He Must Go Further
WASHINGTON - November 18 - President-
Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder had the following response:
"After eight years of failed leadership from an administration that did all it could to stand in the way of progress, Barack Obama's commitment to tackle global warming head-on is a welcome change. As his address today indicates, Obama understands the gravity of the threat, knows that combating global warming will strengthen our economy, and supports needed solutions, including investments in clean energy and putting a price on carbon emissions. But Obama must go further. His current timeline for reducing emissions must be strengthened-scientists say the U.S. must reduce emissions at least 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 (and probably much more than that) if we are to have a decent shot at avoiding catastrophic warming. In addition, we must not waste precious resources by spending them on expensive and inefficient dead-end or nonexistent technologies including nuclear power or so-called ‘clean coal.' Obama is demonstrating leadership on global warming from the get-go. But the enormity of the task at hand requires him to be even more aggressive."
3 Comments so far
Show AllSometimes it's instructive to make a few observations and see where they take us. The following may seem too simple, or over the top, but consider:
The IPCC ice core data charts, and the same as seen in Gore's Book printed, so it can be studied, show us that there have been about 6 ice age cycles in the last 650ky. We are on the up-swing of a temp/CO2 spike now, with GHGs now well out of historical norms. This begs the questions-What weather phenomenon has defeated and reversed the previous spikes, yet not immediately lowered the mean planetary temp? -which is the trigger? temp or CO2? Obviously, temp. -It is also obvious that the reversals occurred before the ice caps melted appreciably, otherwise there would be no data to harvest...Is, then, the reversal of our spike immanent, or even, overdue? -When does the ice of an ice age build up? All at once or gradually, as the temp/CO2 decreases? How is the atmosphere supplied with the moisture and energy necessary to transfer so much water to the poles as snow and ice? -What role does methane play as it is released from tundra and the oceans? -Was there massive methane release during the previous cycles? Or did the reversals act to put the methane back to sleep, so to speak, before it could compound the greenhouse effect? There were humans present during the previous cycles, -How and where did they survive the reversals?
-What can the paleo-geologic record found in the magnetic striping of the mid-Atlantic ridge tell us about tectonic plate movement and possible, or sudden, volcanic warming of the oceans? -Is it possible that the mass of melt water transferred to the equatorial bulge would be sufficient to change the angular momentum of the earth enough to tweak the plates into movement? -Does USGS data show increased activity along plate boundaries that might be a "forcing of the forcings" related to shifting watermass or rising landmass?
The answers to these questions are not hard to compute. The answers dictate the type and intensity of response that is called for. The answers have probably been known for some time, by some people who have the connections and means to respond. The answers demand a change to the status quo, a change from "growth and consumption" to sustainability and survival. Look at the tops of the spikes and decide if we have any more time to waste with any energy sources that add heat or GHGs to the ecosphere. Coal and oil are out. Nukes and geo-thermal are out. NG, too, even though it's cleaner. The grid has to change. Wealth has to be used in different ways. It's a different game, and we're all in the same boat.
We can have just as much fun surviving with wind and sun, as with burning and consuming---let's do it!
The unfortuante reality may be that we have to go to bed with nuclear and coal to get this to move forward. A possible trade off for full blown RE standards would be to allow drilling in ANWAR. 100% RE by end of the century is the goal.
Appalachia can't stand anymore of Presidebt Bush's progress and prosperity, Wise County, Virginia is becoming a toxic waste dump, third world America thanks to THE COAL INDUSTRY. http://www.wisecountyissues.com
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/timmullins