Last Month Was Hottest June on Record, Raising Urgency of Passing Climate Legislation, Says WWF

With the US Senate back from recess and preparing to take up a
climate and clean energy bill, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration today announced that last month was the hottest June in
recorded history. The record, the latest in a string of climate
extremes this year, underscores the urgency of passing a climate bill
that limits the fossil fuel pollution that is causing Earth's climate to
change in dangerous and costly ways, said World Wildlife Fund
officials.

"Climate change is not some abstract phenomenon that
will affect us sometime in the distant future. It is happening now and
its impacts are being felt across the country in the form of
record-shattering heat waves, flooding rains, persistent droughts and
other extreme weather events," said Lou Leonard, Director of US Climate
Policy for WWF. "The changes we are already experiencing are not just
causing uncomfortable living conditions for Americans. They are
threatening human health, destroying our natural heritage, jeopardizing
our agriculture industry and putting our economy and national security
at risk.

"The Senate is now at the proverbial fork in the road.
One path leads to a clean energy future marked by economic growth, new
jobs and a stable climate. The other leads to further strains on our
economy as climate impacts worsen, our oil dependence deepens and
America cedes millions of new clean energy jobs to China and Europe.
This should be a no brainer for Senators.

"To effectively put
America on a path toward a safer, healthier future, the Senate must pass
a bill that includes a clear target to reduce the amount of oil America
consumes and a quick timeline for limiting all fossil fuel pollution.
Only by breaking our addiction to dirty, dangerous fossil fuels can we
maximize job creation and minimize future climate-related impacts," said
Leonard.

Below is a list of recent announcements showing the
dramatic warming of the planet:

• Globally, June 2010 was the
  warmest June on record (announced by NOAA today): https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/index.php?report=global.
• Globally,
  January through June 2010 was the warmest January through June period
  in recorded history (announced by NOAA today and NASA last week).
• In
  the Eastern US, April through June 2010 was the hottest April through
  June period on record (announced by NOAA last week).
• Tropical
  Atlantic sea surface temperatures, from which hurricanes derive their
  strength, have been at record high levels for the past five consecutive
  months, leading to the most severe hurricane season forecast in history.