Florida’s role in the battle against global warming
Recently, leading scientists have cautioned that we are nearing a climate “tipping point,” beyond which large-scale, dangerous consequences of global warming will become unavoidable.
From rising sea levels to more dangerous heat waves to more severe hurricanes, the effects of global warming pose a growing threat that could wreak havoc on Florida’s environment and our economy.
Last summer, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a series of executive orders that set a goal of reducing Florida’s global warming emissions 80 percent by 2050, which is what scientists say we must do to prevent the worst effects of global warming.
In order to meet this ambitious goal, Gov. Crist’s executive order calls for adopting a clean cars program to reduce tailpipe emissions from vehicles, requiring utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from clean, renewable sources, and increasing the energy efficiency of new homes, businesses and appliances in Florida at least 15 percent by 2009.
Florida as a national leader
“These are critically important policies, and if they are realized, Florida will become a national leader in the fight against global warming,” said Environment Florida Field Director Holly Binns. “Unfortunately, the car makers, utilities and fossil fuel industry will oppose these measures at every step.”
That’s why Environment Florida is teaming up with organizations including the Florida Wildlife Federation, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council and others to ensure that Florida succeeds in meeting the governor’s important goals.
Environment Florida and our allies are working on policies currently being debated at the Florida Public Service Commission, in the state Legislature and in other venues that will increase building efficiency standards, expand utility-sponsored conservation programs, and require utilities to use cleaner, renewable energy sources.
Environment Florida and our allies have already helped win two victories in this endeavor. First, Florida now has a de facto moratorium on the construction of new coal-fired power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution in the country.
Second, in March, state regulators passed a “net metering” rule that greatly increases incentives for people to install solar panels on homes and businesses. The new rule expands a requirement for investor-owned utilities to buy back electricity from people who produce it from renewable resources.
“Global warming is the greatest environmental and economic challenge of our generation,” said Binns. “Florida can’t solve this problem on our own, but as one of the largest states in one of the largest nations, our leadership on this issue could be the ‘tipping point’ toward effective global action against global warming.”
