Humanactivitiesaretheprimarycauseofglobalwarming.Deforestationandunsustainableagriculturalpracticescoupledwiththeburningoffossilfuelstotransportgoods,driveourvehicles,heatourhomes,andgenerateelectricityhaveincreased

WHATISGLOBALWARMING?

Theconsequencesofglobalwarminghaveimpactedpublichealth,safety,theenvironmentandtheglobaleconomyfordecades.NASAreportsthat2000to2009wasthehottestdecadeeverrecorded.Extremetemperaturesandweathereventsin2010madeheadlinesandsetnewrecordsworldwide.

carbondioxide(CO2)andothergreenhousegasesinouratmospheretodangerouslevels.CO2levelsarecurrently30%higherthananytimeoverthepast800,000years.Withoutstrongpoliciesthatlowerglobalwarmingpollution,CO2levelsareexpectedtoskyrocketto2‐3timesthislevelby2100.ExcessCO2andwatervaportrappedinouratmospheredriveuptemperaturesandsignificantlyalterweathersystemsworldwide.Otherimpacts,suchasmoreextremeweather,rapidmeltingofglaciers,sealevelriseandmanyothersareexpectedtobecomemoresevereandintenseovertimeasglobalwarmingcontinuestogounchecked.

Moreheattoleranttreescouldsoonreplacethespruce‐firforests,greatlyaffectingthesurroundingecosystems

inNC’sBlueRidgeMountains.

GLOBALWARMINGIMPACTSINNORTHCAROLINA

WHYSHOULDICARE?• Globalwarmingisexpectedtocausesealeveltorise2‐3ft.

alongNorthCarolina’scoastby2100.Permanentfloodingwillputthestate’s$15billioncoastaltourismindustryatrisk.Justan18in.riseinsealevelwouldresultinover$2.8billionofpropertylossacrosscoastalNorthCarolina.

• AU.S.GlobalChangeResearchreportstatesthathurricaneintensityhasincreased50%since1970andisexpectedtorise.Morepowerfulandpotentiallymorefrequenthurricaneswillendangerlivesandimpactcoastalhabitatsthatserveasnaturalstormbuffers.

• Globalwarmingincreasesthenumberofhotdays.

Dependingonhowquicklyandbyhowmuchwecurbglobalwarmingpollution,scientistspredicttemperaturestoriseintheSoutheastbetween4.5°Fand10.5°Fby2080.

• Hottertemperaturescoupledwithmoreextremeweather

eventsandhigherCO2levels,willnegativelyaffectagriculturalgrowthandlivestockfarming.NorthCarolinarankssecondnationwideforhogproductionthatgenerates$2billioneachyear.Heatwillstressanimalhealth,growthandreproductivesuccess,negativelyimpactingtheindustry.NCcoal‐firedpowerplantsproduce

57,275,946tonsofCO2eachyear.

TAKEACTIONAGAINSTGLOBALWARMING

1. Uselessofallkindsofenergybybeingenergyefficientathomeandatwork.

2. Findalternatemodesoftransportationasoftenaspossibletolessenyourfuelconsumption.3. Shopandeatlocally.Doingsowillhelpreduceyourcarbonfootprint.

Tofindoutotherwaystoreduceyourcarbonfootprint,clickhereorvisitwww.cleanenergy.org!

STATERESPONSE

Currently29statesplusD.C.haveRenewableEnergyStandards(RES).AnRESrequiresacertainpercentageofenergytocomefromrenewablesourcessuchaswind,solarandbiomass.TheSoutheastlagsthenationinimplementingthesepolicies.NCleadsastheonlystateintheregionwithastate‐styleRESthatrequires12.5%ofenergyproducedtocomefromrenewableenergyandenergyefficiencyby2021.NCcandobetter!Twoindependentreports(1)(2)foundthat~40%ofNC’senergycouldcomefromrenewablesources.Ifastrong,federalRESwascreatedwecouldgoalongwaytowardmakinguseoftheselocal,sustainableresources.

PERSONALRESPONSE

NATIONALRESPONSE

Nationalclimateandenergypoliciesareimperativetoensureprotectionfromtheworstimpactsofglobalwarming.

Chinaleadstheworldinrenewableenergyinvestment,spendingalmosttwicetheU.S.

Callyourlegislatorsandtellthemwemustleadthewayinclimateandenergypoliciesthat:

•Putascience‐basedcaponcarbonemissions;•Investincleanenergytechnologyandindustriesthatcreatejobs;•Holdpollutersaccountableandendfossil‐fuelsubsidies;•PreserveandstrengthentheCleanAirAct.

TAKEACTIONTODAY!

FindandContactyourLegislatorshttp://tiny.cc/xxdbr

BecomeaMemberofSACEToday

www.cleanenergy.org

JointheFloridaClimateAlliance

www.floridaclimatealliance.groupsite.com