A Changing Climate America’s Growing Response to Global Warming

Peter Rimbos

South King County Group

The Sierra ClubExplore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet

• Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is America’s Oldest Grassroots Environmental Organization.

• The Cascade Chapter covers the state of Washington.

• The South King County Group covers King County south of I-90.

The Earth’s Climate

Greenhouse Gases

The Vast Majority of

Greenhouses Gases Come

From Burning Fossil Fuels

like Oil, Coal, and Natural

Gas

Temperature Rises as Greenhouse Gases Increase

• There is a clear correlation between the level of atmospheric CO2 and temperature.

• Current level of CO2 is outside bounds of natural variability and rate of change is unprecedented.

• The Ten Hottest Years on Record Have All Occurred Since 1990.

Climate Change Timeline60 Million Yr Ago Atmospheric CO2 levels jump to ~8 to 10 times present-day levels.

Large-scale burial of the surplus carbon through swamps; Coal forms.

11,500 Yr Ago The last Ice Age ends.

1750 Industrial Revolution begins &we start to burn stored fossil fuels.

1827 Fourier suggests existence of an atmospheric effect keeping Earth warmer than it would otherwise be; uses greenhouse analogy.

1863 Tyndall publishes paper describing how water vapor can be a greenhouse gas.

1890s Arrhenius and Chamberlain independently realize burning of fossil fuels could lead to global warming, but neither suspect it has started.

1890s to 1940 Average surface air temperatures increase by about 0.25 °C (0.45 °F). Some scientists see American Dust Bowl as a sign of the greenhouse effect at work.

1957 Revelle warns we’re conducting a "large-scale geophysical experiment" on the planet by releasing greenhouse gases. Keeling sets up first continuous monitoring of atmospheric CO2 levels and finds regular year-on-year rise.

Climate Change Timeline (2)1970s Series of studies by US DOE increases concerns about future global warming.

1979 First World Climate Conference calls on governments "to foresee and prevent potential man-made changes in climate“.

1985 First major international conference warns that greenhouse gases will "in the first half of the next century, cause a rise of global mean temperature which is greater than any in man's history".

1988 UN sets up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to analyze and report on scientific findings.

1990 The first report of the IPCC finds that the planet has warmed by 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) in the past century. IPCC warns that only strong measures to halt rising greenhouse gas emissions will prevent serious global warming

1992 Climate Change Convention, signed by 154 nations, agrees to prevent "dangerous" warming from greenhouse gases. Sets initial target of reducing emissions from industrialized countries to 1990 levels by the year 2000.

1997 Kyoto Protocol agrees legally binding emissions cuts for industrialized nations, averaging 5.4 %, to be met by 2010.

2005 Kyoto treaty goes into effect, signed by major industrial nations except US and Australia.

Global Warming & Leadership• Any Serious Effort in the United States to

Reduce Global Warming Emissions Must Involve Reductions in Oil Consumption

• As the world’s largest GHG emitter, US leadership could prod China and India to action.

The United States is the World’s Largest Polluter

Top 10 Global Warming Polluters

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U.S. Global Warming Emissions

US Sources of greenhouse gas emissions in 2001. US Sources of greenhouse gas emissions in 2001.

Source: US Dept. of Transportation 2004Source: US Dept. of Transportation 2004

Smart Energy Solutions to Global Warming

Increasing Fuel Economy

Boosting Energy Efficiency

Investing in Renewable Energy

Increasing Fuel Economy • Using Existing Technology, Higher Fuel

Economy Standards Would:

– Save 4 Million Barrels of Oil Per Day by 2020.

– Reduce U.S. Global Warming Emissions by over 850 million tons of CO2 by 2020.

– Save Consumers Over $16 billion dollars annually by 2020.

Investing in Clean Energy

• Investing in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Would:

– Avoid the Need for Over 1100 New and Existing Coal and Natural Gas Fired Power Plants

– Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions 2/3rds from Business as Usual by 2020.

– Save Consumers $440 billion by 2020

Why is the U.S. Starting to Address Global Warming?

Undeniable Scientific Consensus

Global Warming Impacts Are Becoming More Noticeable and Wider Spread

Rising Energy Prices Are Hurting the American Economy

National Security and Energy Issues are Tied Together

Scientific Consensus on Global Warming

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of

increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice,

and rising global mean sea level" 

"...very high confidence that the globally averaged net effect of human activities

since 1750 has been one of warming...” 

--U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.

February 2007

American Association for the Advancement of Science Statement on Climate Change

Approved by the AAAS Board of Directors---9 December 2006

“The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to society.”

“Delaying action to address climate change will increase the environmental and societal consequences as well as the costs.”

“It is time to muster the political will for concerted action. Stronger leadership at all levels is needed. The time is now. We must rise to the challenge. We owe this to future generations.”

Health•Weather-related mortality•Infectious diseases•Air-quality respiratory illnesses

Agriculture•Crop yields•Irrigation demands

Water Resources•Changes in water supply•Water quality•Increased competition for water

Coastal Areas•Erosion of beaches•Inundation of coastal lands•Costs to protect coastal communities

Forests•Change in forest composition•Shift geographic range of forests•Forest health and productivity

Species and Natural Areas•Shift in ecological zones•Loss of habitat and species

Global Warming Impacts

Climate Changes

Sea Level Rise

Temperature

Precipitation

Source: EPA

Since 1979, 20% of the Since 1979, 20% of the Polar Ice Cap Has Melted Polar Ice Cap Has Melted

AwayAway

New Voices Calling for Action New Voices Calling for Action on Global Warmingon Global Warming

Corporate CEOsCorporate CEOs Religious LeadersReligious Leaders Power CompaniesPower Companies Insurance FirmsInsurance Firms Auto Manufacturers; Auto Manufacturers; Wall Street Financial FirmsWall Street Financial Firms

92% of Americans Say that They Are 92% of Americans Say that They Are Worried About Dependence on Foreign Oil Worried About Dependence on Foreign Oil - - Yale University Polling: June 9, 2005Yale University Polling: June 9, 2005

State and Local Governments State and Local Governments are Taking Actionare Taking Action

In the Absence of Federal Action on In the Absence of Federal Action on Global Warming, State and Local Global Warming, State and Local Governments are Taking Action on Governments are Taking Action on Global Warming:Global Warming:

Cool CitiesCool Cities

Clean CarsClean Cars

Clean EnergyClean Energy

Eleven States Nationwide Follow California StandardsEleven States Nationwide Follow California StandardsCA – WA – OR – ME – VT – MA - CT – RI – NY – NJ – PACA – WA – OR – ME – VT – MA - CT – RI – NY – NJ – PA

Clean Cars Across Clean Cars Across the USthe US

Accounting for 34% of All New Vehicles Sold in the U.S.

20 States Have Adopted Renewable 20 States Have Adopted Renewable Energy StandardsEnergy Standards

Clean Energy Across Clean Energy Across the USthe US

The Road AheadThe Road AheadCongress is Beginning to Respond. Rep. Waxman Introduced Legislation that Caps Emissions in 2010 Before Requiring Annual Reductions. By 2050, Emissions Will Be 80% Lower Than In 1990.

The new Congress has begun to seriously address global warming.

The major Presidential candidates of both parties for 2008 have gone on record that the US must seriously address global warming.