The consequences: stronger storms, severe droughts, and more

Global warming is the one of the most profound threats of our time — and we’re already starting to feel the effects.

In the past few years we’ve seen stronger, more frequent storms. Historic flooding from Vermont to Iowa. Snowmaggedon on the East Coast, increasingly destructive wildfires in the West.

Extreme weather could become “the new normal” as global warming wreaks havoc on our climate. Read our report, Global Warming and Extreme Weather, to learn more.

These dangers are cause for immediate action. But political posturing, partisan gridlock and the influence of powerful polluters has paralyzed our leaders in Washington.

States lead the way

Despite the lack of action in Washington, D.C., there is a way forward on global warming — and it starts at the local, state and regional level. Officials in the Northeast states are gearing up to make changes to the region’s landmark pollution program, which limits carbon pollution from power plants and invests in clean energy. Our state affiliates are working to defend the program where it’s threatened, and strengthen the program so that it cuts more pollution and generates more efficient, clean and renewable energy.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: A global warming program that works

In 2005, ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states joined together to establish one of the most important carbon pollution reduction programs in the country — the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

RGGI has broken important ground. It’s the first program in the United States to limit carbon pollution from power plants, sell permits to emit pollution and invest the revenues in energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives. Even more importantly, RGGI is a model for the country. It has demonstrated that other states, other regions and the nation as a whole could use a similar model to reduce emissions.

And so far, it has been a tremendous success. States participating in RGGI are investing 80 percent of the proceeds—more than $1 billion so far—in programs to improve energy efficiency and accelerate the development of renewable energy technologies. RGGI has already contributed to nearly $1 billion in consumer savings, 16,000 new jobs and economic growth in the 10 participating states.

RGGI under attack in Maine, N.H. and N.J.

Despite this promise, fossil fuel interests, led by Americans for Prosperity and other anti-regulatory ideologues, have convinced their allies in a number of states to support killing RGGI. As a result, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Maine’s Gov. Paul LePage have all announced their opposition to RGGI and have attempted to kill or weaken the program.

Backsliding on this landmark policy would have serious repercussions on these states’—and the nation’s—efforts to tackle global warming, and RGGI is only as effective as the participating states allow it to be.

Fortunately, in all of the RGGI states, there is strong public support for reducing pollution from power plants and shifting to clean energy. There is also a growing clean energy business sector that supports strengthening RGGI. The success stories involving RGGI-financed energy efficiency and clean energy measures are numerous. As a result there are a wide array of stakeholders, including local and state officials, organized labor, public health organizations and others.

We are working to convince state officials that RGGI is critical to meeting their energy and environmental goals. We have ramped up our efforts to mobilize strong public support for clean energy, to embolden supportive decision-makers seeking to strengthen RGGI and to undercut efforts by opponents to weaken the program or to convince states to withdraw. So far, we’ve succeeded

Fighting back in Maine, N.H. and N.J.

In New Hampshire and Maine, Environment New Hampshire Advocate Jessica O’Hare and Environment Maine Director Emily Figdor beat back efforts to kill RGGI by highlighting the clean energy benefits of the program, mobilizing our members and activists to contact legislators and attend hearings in support, and working closely with our allies in environmental, public health and national security groups.

In New Jersey, our work to get the Legislature to block Gov. Chris Christie from pulling out of RGGI is having an impact. But we must remain vigilant. So far, we have held the line on the rollbacks in those states, while laying the groundwork to strengthen the program in the coming year. (Pictures from NJ campaign)

With your support, we can make RGGI even stronger

Defending the program is not enough. We need to strengthen RGGI. Environment America and our state affiliates in Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland are mounting a region-wide campaign to strengthen the program. Our goal is to reduce current carbon emissions by 20% in 2020, 40% in 2030 and at least 80% by 2050.

In December, we worked with our allies to get 250 environmental groups, clean energy businesses and public health officials signed on to a set of principles to strengthen the program. We presented these principles to the top energy and environmental officials in the RGGI states. In January, state officials from Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont announced their intention to begin the process of retiring excess allowances, an important step toward strengthening the RGGI emissions cap.


Global Warming Updates

News Release | Envronment New Hampshire

Clean Energy Program is Working

Environment New Hampshire releases a report that highlights the role clean energy and environmental policies have played in moving states toward meeting targets to reduce carbon emissions, while challenging claims that actions to reduce emissions undermine economic growth. The New Hampshire Legislature is considering legislation to repeal the cornerstone clean energy program, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Inititiative (RGGI).

> Keep Reading
News Release | Environment Massachusetts

Gov. Patrick Joins Environment Massachusetts to Celebrate Progress on Clean Energy and Climate Solutions

Boston, MA – Governor Deval Patrick and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan were joined today at the Hatch Shell by Ben Wright from Environment Massachusetts and more than 200 activists to celebrate Earth Day by highlighting environmental progress that has been made and to look forward to the opportunities to do even more.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Environment Rhode Island

Legislation passed in R.I. House of Reps. would put Rhode Island on track for 50% less petroleum by 2050

The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted 65 to 3 to pass a bill (H7261) to set up a Petroleum Savings & Independence Advisory Commission to study and reduce Rhode Island’s reliance on petroleum, with petroleum use reduction targets set at 30% less by 2030 and 50% by 2050. The Senate version of the bill is moving through the committee process.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Environment Maryland

As Offshore Wind Picks up Speed in Annapolis, Coalition Highlights Wind’s State-Wide Benefits

As lawmakers prepared to pass Gov. Martin O’Malley’s offshore wind power legislation out of the Maryland House of Delegates, an environmental group stood in front of the state house with minority and business leaders to hail offshore wind’s benefits for Maryland.  The group, Environment Maryland, released a new report, “What Offshore Wind Means for Maryland: Environmental, Economic and Public Health Benefits Across the State,” detailing regional benefits throughout Maryland of clean energy and reduced global warming pollution.

 

> Keep Reading
News Release | Environment America

Obama Administration to Protect Americans’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants.  Carbon pollution fuels global warming, which leads to poor air quality that triggers asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.  Scientists also predict that global warming will lead to more devastating floods, more deadly heat waves and the spread of infectious diseases. Coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the U.S., yet there are currently no federal limits on this pollution from power plants. The standard proposed today will correct that for new power plants by limiting their emissions of carbon pollution.

> Keep Reading

Pages

View AllRSS Feed