CLIMATE CHANGE

Impacts, Solutions, Actions

CLIMATE CHANGE

What does global warming do?

Global warming poses the greatest threat to biological diversity in human history.

Whats At Risk?

Everything

Increased Storm Frequency and Intensity

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding

More Invasive Species

Increasing Risk of Catastrophic Fires

Increased Droughts

Economic The EconomicToll Toll

Global Warming impacts will cost 20 times more than reducing our emissions now.

The Human Toll

100s of millions of environmental refugees in this century Increase in air pollution Spread of tropical diseases Water shortages and contamination

Number of scientific studies dealing with climate change published in scientific journals between 1993 and 2003:

Number disagreeing with the global consensus that greenhouse gas pollution has caused most of the warming of the last 50 years:

The Science, the Choices, the Benefits Have Never Been More Clear

The Most Important Crossroads

Of Our Lives

We Can Prevent the Worst Impacts

But We Need Action Immediately

We must never submit to hopelessness in the face of this bad news. Quite the contrary! Our response must be to act boldly and to act NOW.

We Have All the Tools We Need Right Now.

We Need: Leaders

Political

We simply must do everything we can in our

power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear. The global warming debate is over.
-California Gov. Schwarzenegger

Credit: John Decker

Individual - Every One of Us Can Make a Difference

We Cant Afford Business As Usual

16 14
Reduction Wedges

Gigatons of Carbon

12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1955 1980 2005 2030 2055 BAU Needed

What Do We Want?

We Want: Emissions Reduction

80% total reduction below 1990 levels

by 2050

Federal Legislation
Congress must pass strong, comprehensive global warming and energy legislation.
WHAT WE NEED - Cap-and-trade to cut overall emissions -A nationwide Renewable Electricity Standard to increase renewable energy use to 20% by 2020 - Increase fuel efficiency for motor vehicles - Increase energy and water efficiency standards for appliances and buildings

Cap & Trade 101

1. Limit emissions from a designated group of polluters, such as power plants. 2. Sets the limit (cap) for greenhouse gas pollution. 3. Polluters that exceed the cap need to reduce pollution. 4. Polluters that fall below the cap can sell pollution credits to other users. 5. Cap is lowered over time

Enact Nationwide Renewable Electricity Standards (RES)

20 percent by 2020 from wind, solar, and other clean renewables

The Benefits of a 20% RES

Pollution reduction equal to taking 36.4 million cars off the road Creates 185,000 new jobs $66 billion in new capital investment $25.6 billion income to farmers, ranchers, rural communities $2 billion in new local tax revenues $10 billion reduction in electric and natural gas bills (growing to $31.8 billion by 2030)

Fuel Economy Standards

35 mpg by 2020

Save Gas, Save Money!

Save 1.2 million barrels of oil a day more than half of what we import from the Persian Gulf. Prevent 200 million metric tons of CO pollution. Save consumers more than $25 billion at the gas pump.

Increase Energy & Water Efficiency Standards

ENERGY STAR rated appliances save consumers 31 percent on energy bills. $24 billion spent on energy each year by the commercial building industry, which releases 18 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Saving water reduces emissions.

Educate Others to Take Action

Take Action In Your Community

Work with others in
your area to:

Help schools, businesses, and local governments cut energy use, buy green, and invest in onsite solar energy

Make Smart Growth a priority and protect open spaces, farmland, and forests

Take Action In Your Community

Support Smart Growth
not urban sprawl

Take Action In Your Community

reduce water

consumption

increase recycling and

plant and maintain trees
to help reduce the

urban island effect.

Take Action: Increase Energy Increase Efficiency Energy Efficiency

Whats the difference?
Incandescent Compact Fluorescent

500 lbs of Coal

1,430 lbs CO2 pollution avoided $30 saved

Take Action At Home

The Easy Stuff...

Replace Incandescent Bulbs Fix Weather Stripping and Caulking Stop Water Leaks Change your Thermostat Buy Local , Sustainably Produced Food

Take Action At Home

A Little More Effort

I. Buy ENERGY STAR appliances

II. Dry clothes on a line III. Reduce outside irrigation

IV. Buy less

Take Action At Home

The Big Stuff

1. Buy a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle 2. Replace windows 3. Install solar or geothermal power 4. Vacation closer to home

Take Action: Drive Less Drive Less; Buy Better Cars

Leaving your car at home 2 days a week =1,590 lbs of C02 reduction per year

Our Actions All Add Up

Dont let your inability to do everything be an excuse to do nothing

Its Your Actions That Matter!

THANK YOU!!!!