WEB EXCLUSIVE: Administration Climate Change Plan: Not Enough

The world simply cannot wait until 2025 to begin responding to climate change.

by Jennifer Kefer
Special to the Jewish Week

Yesterday, President Bush announced his views on climate change. I commend the President for recognizing the need to show leadership on this issue. And I agreed with the President 's remarks in many respects. Indeed, like President Bush, I "believe we need to protect our environment. [I] believe we need to strengthen our energy security. [And I] believe we need to grow our economy." I was gratified to hear the President reaffirm these important goals. The President further declared that the nation must "slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of our greenhouse gas emissions." Again, I concur. Unfortunately, I do not believe that the President's proposed plan for achieving these goals is sufficient.

The President seeks to halt the growth of US emissions from the

electric utility sector by 2025. Unfortunately, while the goal of halting emissions is laudable, this proposal is out of step with what the scientific community has told us is necessary to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Indeed, last February, scientists from more than 130 countries declared that emissions from industrialized nations (like the United States) must peak by 2015 and that such emissions must decline by 15-20% by 2020. The Bush Administration proposal misses the mark.

The world simply cannot wait until 2025 to begin responding to climate change. In fact, the effects of climate change have already begun. Twelve of the last thirteen years were among the warmest in recorded history. Last month, a sheet of ice seven times the size of Manhattan collapsed in the Antarctic.

In Darfur, millions are struggling in a battle exacerbated because of water shortages triggered by climate change. And these problems will only intensify absent aggressive US action. Indeed, the Center for Naval Analysis has declared that climate change functions as a "threat multiplier," placing the lives and security of millions of people at risk worldwide. These threats demand immediate action – not simply commitments for future reductions. Indeed, as Rabbi Hillel famously challenged: "If not now, when?" Contrary to the President's proposal, the answer to that question simply cannot be 2025.

Like President Bush, I believe we need to strengthen our energy security. Indeed, we currently send in excess of $17 billion each month to nations with interests that are hostile to our own. Moreover, climate change threatens to spark unprecedented human migrations, increased border tensions, conflicts over essential resources, and greater international demands for rescue and evacuation efforts.

Thankfully, there is an alternative. Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA) have introduced climate change legislation (S 2191) that is projected to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and approximately 60 percent by mid-century. The bill creates a market in carbon emissions, forcing industry to pay for the right to pollute. This carbon market has the potential to generate 50 to 300 billion dollars, which can be reinvested in our economy.

Yesterday, the President declared his commitment to protecting our environment. By reducing US emissions by 2% per year beginning in 2012, the Lieberman-Warner bill takes immediate steps toward realizing this goal.

Yesterday, the President declared his resolve to strengthen our energy security. By creating incentives for regulated entities to invest in clean, renewable technologies that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, the Lieberman-Warner bill puts the United States on a path to a safe and secure future.

Yesterday, the President reaffirmed his commitment to growing our economy. Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that the Lieberman-Warner bill would not significantly impair US economic growth. To the contrary, it will generate billions of dollars, which can be invested in our burgeoning environmental technology sector. As the President explained, "new technologies are the key to addressing climate change." The Lieberman-Warner bill provides the revenue to fund the growth of these new technologies. And by placing a price on carbon emissions, it creates incentives for regulated entities to make these investments.

I wholeheartedly agree in the President's goals of protecting our environment, security and economy. However, the best way to advance these goals is to prevent climate change from happening in the first place. And the best way to prevent climate change is by reducing US greenhouse gas emissions – not in 2025, but immediately.

Jennifer Kefer is Climate and Energy Policy Coordinator for the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)

Westchester Jewish Conference

Westchester’s Jewish Community Relations Organization