Global Warming Reports
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Executive Summary
Global warming is the defining challenge of our time. The
latest climate science tells us that the United States must reduce its
emissions of global warming pollutants quickly and dramatically if we hope to
avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming. The rest of the world
must take strong action as well.
For
the United States to make the emission reductions science tells us will be necessary—cutting
emissions by at least 15-20 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050—will
require major changes in many areas of America’s economy, from the increased
use of clean, renewable energy to dramatic improvements in the efficiency with
which we use energy in our homes, businesses and vehicles. But solutions exist today
that can get us much of the way there. And communities across the country—and around
the globe—are making those solutions a reality.
This
report details more than 20 examples of cutting-edge policies and practices that
communities, states and countries are using to reduce global warming pollution.
These examples show that while actions to reduce global warming pollution
require commitment and creativity, they also bring with them other benefits—reduced
dependence on fossil fuels, cleaner air and healthier communities, economic
growth and new jobs.
America
should learn from these initiatives by adopting public policy “best practices”
that can achieve similar benefits nationwide. The United States—as well as individual
states—should foster further innovation by adopting mandatory caps on global
warming pollution, coupled with policies that will promote the transitionto
a cleaner, more efficient energy system.
Cities and states across America are achieving impressive
results in the fight against global warming.
- Texas has
added more than 4,000 megawatts of wind power generating capacity in the last
decade. Once a marginal
source of electricity in the state, wind power now produces about 3 percent of
Texas’ electricity, enough to avoid about 8 million metric tons of global
warming pollution per year.
- New Jersey doubled its solar power generating capacity within just two years
through aggressive public policies
that promote solar panels on rooftops in the Garden State.
- California uses 20 percent less energy per capita than it did in 1973,
thanks to strong energy efficiency policies for buildings and appliances.
- Wisconsin avoids about 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution per
year through its innovative programs to promote energy efficiency in industry—programs
that also help save businesses money and keep jobs within the state.
- Portland, Oregon, has doubled the number of bicyclists on city streets in
just six years through investments in
bicycle infrastructure and bikefriendly transportation policies. The percentage
of people who bike to work in
Portland is now eight times the national average.
- In the Rosslyn and Ballston neighborhoods of Arlington
County, Virginia about 40 percent of residents take transit
to work and about 10 percent walk, thanks to investments in transit service to
Washington, D.C. and
smart land-use planning that has created vibrant, compact, mixed-use
communities around transit stops.
- Southeastern Pennsylvania saw a 20 percent increase in the number of riders on energy
efficient trains linking
Harrisburg and Philadelphia following investments that increased travel speeds
along the line. A similar 20 percent ridership jump occurred recently on the
Northeast’s Acela high-speed train line.
Other nations have also made significant progress, with
lessons for the United States.
- Germany recycles 60 percent of its municipal waste (compared to 32
percent in the United States) and has kept its garbage output steady for nearly
two decades thanks to policies that put the responsibility for recycling waste on
product manufacturers and not individual consumers and taxpayers.
- In Israel,
more than 90 percent of homes use solar water heaters, which dramatically
reduce the need for natural
gas or electricity for water heating. Israel requires that all new homes come
equipped with solar water heaters.
- Copenhagen, Denmark, has revitalized its downtown by giving pedestrians and
bicycles preference over cars in large parts of its city center. Walking and
cycling now account for more than 40 percent of all trips made in Danish urban
areas.
- Spain has
sparked the creation of new renewable energy industries through aggressive
clean energy policies. Spain now ranks third in the world for installed wind
power capacity and is the world’s fourth leading market for solar photovoltaics.
Spanish companies are increasingly taking a leading role in renewable energy
development in the United States and elsewhere.
Communities and states across the country are laying the
groundwork for even larger changes in the years ahead.
- Concentrating solar power, which uses heat from the sun to generate
electricity, has the potential to serve a large share of America’s electricity
needs. Southwestern states have
enacted policies that are contributing to a solar power boom that could result
in more than 4,000 megawatts of solar thermal power coming on line in the next several
years.
- Plug-in hybrid vehicles can dramatically reduce carbon dioxide pollution from
vehicles while weaning America from its dependence on oil. Austin, Texas,
citizens and public officials are pushing for the development of plugin hybrid
vehicles and enlisting people from around the country in the effort.
- “Green” buildings and zero-energy homes could revolutionize America’s building
stock by providing pleasant, comfortable spaces with dramatically lower impact
on the global climate. Pittsburgh and other cities are driving innovations in green building, while
engineers, home builders and researchers are building the first wave of “zero
energy homes” across the country.
Addressing global warming will require efforts from people of all walks
of
life. Communities like Greensburg,
Kansas—a small rural town nearly wiped off the
map by a devastating tornado in 2007—and the South Bronx neighborhood
of New York City are showing how residents can come together to weave
efforts
to reduce global warming pollution into strategies for community
development. Cities, states and the federal government should build
upon
the successes of these efforts by setting mandatory, science-based caps
on
global warming pollution, adopting strong clean energy policies, and
investing
in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Individual states and the federal government should adopt mandatory, science-based
caps on global warming pollution.
At minimum, those caps should be consistent with a national goal of reducing
emissions by at least 15-20
percent below today’s levels by 2020 and by at least 80 percent below today’s
levels by 2050. Revenues from
any program that puts a price on global warming pollution should be used to aid
in the transition to a clean energy economy and to reduce the cost of emission
reductions to consumers. Cities, states and the federal government should make energy efficiency improvements
and accelerated development of renewable energy the centerpiece of their
environmental and economic development policies. Advanced
building energy codes; strong energy efficiency standards for buildings,
appliances and vehicles;and
mandatory targets for renewable power generation and energy efficiency savings
are among the policies that can reduce global warming pollution and put the
nation on a clean energy path.
Global warming and fossil fuel dependence should become central considerations in
land-use planning and public sector investment decisions. America should
increase its investment in public transportation and rail transportation to
reduce emissions from transportation. All new public buildings should meet
rigorous standards for energy efficiency and the use of clean energy.
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