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Our planet is heating up at an accelerated pace, and scientists widely agree that human activities are a major cause. Without urgent action we will experience devastating effects, including coastal flooding, an unprecedented refugee crisis, prolonged droughts and heat waves, and water shortages. While our country is the largest contributor of greenhouse emissions, the Bush administration has refused to join international efforts to address global warming. The economic costs of not acting to address global warming are far greater than the costs of taking bold action now.
We need to enact effective public policies to address global warming and build a renewable energy economy. This includes setting an ambitious national goal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2030 through conservation, efficiency, better mileage vehicles, mass transit, responsible building codes and carbon taxes. Creating a renewable energy economy will generate millions of high-paying jobs. Federal research and development dollars must be reprioritized away from new weapons systems to renewable energy.