What's New
Congressman Henry Waxman has introduced the Safe
Climate Act, a long-term, science-based solution to global warming that
aims
to protect future generations from catastrophic changes to the climate
by dramatically reducing U.S. global warming pollution. Seven Florida
Representatives - Corrine Brown (Jacksonville), Kathy Castor (Tampa),
Alcee Hastings (Ft. Lauderdale), Ron Klein (Boca Raton), Kendrick Meek
(Miami), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (Ft. Lauderdale) and
Robert Wexler (Boca Raton) - are among the 150-plus members of Congress from
both sides of the aisle
that have endorsed the bill. Environment Florida is urging the rest of
Florida's congressional delegation to do so as well.
How You Can Help
Ask your member of Congress to support the Safe Climate Act.
Brief Summary
Leading scientists
such as James Hansen of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies have
cautioned that we are nearing a climate “tipping point,” beyond which
large-scale, dangerous impacts would become unavoidable. From rising sea
levels to more dangerous heat waves to increasingly severe hurricanes, the
effects of global warming pose an increasing threat that could wreak
havoc on Florida’s
environment and our economy.
Environment Florida is urging
Florida’s Congressional Representatives to support the Safe Climate Act (H.R.
5642), which would freeze U.S. emissions at 2009 levels in 2010 and then
gradually reduce them by roughly 2% per year through 2020. This gives us 15 years to deploy the cleaner
technologies that we already have but are not using much, such as hybrid
vehicles and wind power.
After 2020, the bill cuts
emissions by roughly 5% per year, as more advanced technologies, such as
zero-energy buildings and biofuels from waste materials, become widely
available. Taken together, emissions
will reach 1990 levels by 2020, and 80% of 1990 levels by 2050, which mirror
the goals established by Governor Crist for reducing Florida's global warming emissions.
