President
Bush today announced a new goal of stopping the growth of U.S. global warming emissions by
2025. Yet, in 2007, the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that global
emissions must peak no later than 2015 to prevent catastrophic effects of
global warming.
“Global
warming is already transforming the world.
Last month, global warming caused a chunk of Antarctic ice about
seven times the size of Manhattan to
suddenly collapse. President Bush’s plan is on a
crash course with scientific reality. The time
for action is today – not 20 years from now,” said Environment America Federal Global Warming
Program Director Emily Figdor.
According
to the Department of Energy, U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide
emissions are projected to increase by 12% above 2006 levels by 2025.
To protect future generations from the worst effects
of global warming, such as a massive rise in sea levels and the extinction of many species
worldwide, the most recent science indicates that the United States must halt
increases in its global warming emissions immediately, cut its emissions by at least 15
to 20 percent by 2020, and slash its emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050.
“To solve
this urgent problem, America must invest in a clean energy
future with an emphasis on energy efficient homes and buildings and solar, wind,
and other renewable energy sources,” added Figdor. “Instead of focusing on the cleanest,
quickest, and cheapest solutions, the President is focused on expensive and dangerous
technologies, like nuclear power,” she concluded.
