|
Push Washington for Climate Action
|
Progressive Portal
|
Feb 16, 2005 15:45 PST
|
THE ONLY HOPE OF AVERTING GLOBAL CATASTROPHE, SCIENTISTS SAY,
IS IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SLASH BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS
[From the Climate Crisis Coalition
<http://www.climatecrisiscoalition.org> and the Union of Concerned
Scientists <http://www.ucsusa.org>]
On 16 Feb 2005, almost 10 years after negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol
on global warming began, the first international agreement to reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases* finally goes into effect in most of the
world. Virtually all climate scientists now recognize that its
provisions, which call for industrialized countries to reduce their
collective emissions of these gases by an average of 5.2 percent
compared to 1990 levels, are only a modest first step: Even if they were
fully implemented everywhere, their effect at best would be merely a
slight slow-down of dynamics that are already causing rising sea levels
as the polar ice-caps melt and increasingly extreme weather.
Yet America's political leaders - the Bush administration first of all,
but also most leading Democrats - have refused to ratify the treaty or
to take any other strong steps to curb emissions of carbon dioxide,
methane, and other greenhouse gases. Because the United States, with
just 5 percent of the world's population, accounts for about 20 percent
of such emissions, our refusal to take action substantially undermines
the efforts of the countries that have ratified the agreement - just
about every other major industrialized country except Australia - and
reduces their willingness to make the necessary sacrifices.
CONTINUED BELOW ...
--> EARTH & ECOLOGY FLAGS, EARTH PINS, "LOVE YOUR MOTHER" STICKERS,
MORE:
--> http://www.progressiveportal.org/store/?alrt
If there's anything that can kick Washington out of its lethargy, it's a
loud and clear call for action from the grassroots. Two actions you can
take today:
* Sign "The People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty," a
new petition from the Climate Crisis Coalition that not only endorses
the Kyoto Protocol and demands ratification by the U.S. government, but
also calls for follow-up agreements that would slash worldwide
greenhouse emissions by 70 percent.
* Urge your Senators and Representative to support the Climate
Stewardship Act, a bipartisan bill drafted by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ)
and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) that would impose mandatory, albeit modest,
caps on emissions of greenhouse gases by U.S. industry.
Take Action
-----------------------------------
1. Sign the petition at:
http://www.kyotoandbeyond.org/petition.html
2. Urge your legislators to support the Climate Stewardship Act (or
thank those already sponsoring the bill) at:
http://www.ucsaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=24292
More Information
-----------------------------------
Climate change portal:
http://www.climateark.org/
Excellent site maintained by author Ross Gelbspan:
http://www.heatisonline.org/main.cfm
Environmental Defense:
http://www.undoit.org
Union of Concerned Scientists:
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/index.cfm
Natural Resources Defense Council:
http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/default.asp
http://www.gettherealscoop.org
Sierra Club:
http://www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:
http://unfccc.int
Map illustrating the local consequences of global warming:
http://www.climatehotmap.org
Popular education campaign, including a national speakers bureau:
http://www.greenhousenet.org
"20 Simple Steps to Reduce Global Warming":
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/392_20%20Simple%20Steps.htm
The Kyoto Protocol:
Summary/Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
Full text: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html
____________
*"Greenhouse gases" allow energy from the sun to enter the Earth's
atmosphere, but prevent some of it from escaping - causing the global
temperature to rise. The name comes from the action of glass walls in
greenhouses, which similarly let more energy in than out.
|
|
 |
|
