New Climate Science Report Shows that Reducing Global Warming Pollution is Urgent
Media Contacts
Environment America
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change officially released their latest report on global warming which provides powerful evidence that reducing emissions of climate-changing pollution is critically important and urgent. The report reinforces the urgent need to cut carbon and tackle global warming to protect future generations. Julian Boggs, global warming program director with Environment America issued the following statement in response:
“In today’s report, the world’s leading climate scientists have delivered us a warning, loud and clear: Global warming is happening now. Human activity — in particular, burning fossil fuels — is the chief cause. And the impacts are accelerating — including more fuel for extreme weather, such as the recent record rainfall and flooding in Colorado and the third largest wildfire in California’s history.
“If we do not rapidly and substantially reduce global warming pollution, we can expect dangerous and potentially irreversible consequences, including more extreme weather, disrupted agriculture, rising seas, and ocean acidification.
“We have an obligation to listen to this warning, and to act to protect our children and grandchildren from the worst impacts of global warming.
“The Obama administration’s recent proposal of historic standards to limit carbon pollution from new power plants, and upcoming federal standards for existing plants, are huge steps in the right direction.
“Power plants are the nation’s single largest source of the carbon pollution fueling global warming. America’s Dirtiest Power Plants, a new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center, shows that if the 50 dirtiest power plants in the U.S. were a sovereign nation it would be behind only 6 nations in its contribution to global warming. Georgia Power Company’s Scherer plant is the nation’s biggest carbon polluter, producing as much global warming pollution as 4.4 million cars each year.
“Americans have already submitted 3.2 million comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of limiting carbon pollution from power plants. When the Obama administration’s proposed rule is finalized, we can finally say: No new dirty power plants.
“We call on leaders at all levels of government to support President Obama’s crucial action in the fight to protect our communities from global warming. Today’s report from the IPCC makes it crystal clear that action to reduce emissions of climate-changing pollution is urgent.”
