West Coast Democratic Governors targer global warming.
3 states target global warming
GOVERNORS TEAM UP TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
By Paul Rogers
Mercury News
Saying the Bush administration hasn't done enough to stop global warming, the Democratic governors of California, Oregon and Washington on Monday announced a new three-state partnership aimed at reducing greenhouse gases.
The strategy by California Gov. Gray Davis, Washington Gov. Gary Locke and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski stops short of calling for specific numerical targets to reduce greenhouse emissions, as nine governors in New England have done in calling for their states' emissions to reach 1990 levels by 2010.
Instead, Monday's arrangement seeks to combine the three states' purchasing power to buy hybrid cars more cheaply, reduce emissions from diesel trucks between Mexico and Canada, and better coordinate scientific research.
``Each state faces individual challenges,'' Davis said. ``But all three share the determination to actively deal with the threats created by global warming.''
With majorities of Californians saying in recent polls they believe global warming is a problem, Davis, however, did not miss the opportunity to seek political gain.
``Unfortunately, the Bush administration is still in denial about global warming,'' Davis said. ``They have their head in the Texas sand.''
Similarly, Locke, of Washington, called global warming ``a very real threat'' and said Bush has ``put polluters ahead of people. That's why it is important that state and local governments stand up.''
Most scientists say carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels by industry and autos are trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere at a greater rate than would historically occur. Eight of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1990.
In 2001, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded global temperatures were likely to rise 2.5 to 10.4 degrees by 2100, a phenomenon that could cause rougher weather, species disruption, more forest fires and water shortages.
All three governors said if temperatures continue to rise, they are concerned their water supplies, largely drawn from melting winter snows, will be disrupted, and that coastal flooding could occur.
The White House generally praised the trio's partnership.
Dana Perino, spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, noted that the governors did not call for new taxes on energy or mandatory caps on greenhouse emissions. Instead, they emphasized new technology and voluntary solutions, she said.
``It is striking the similarities between what they announced and what we are doing,'' Perino said. ``We welcome the initiatives.''
Bush has rejected the Kyoto treaty to reduce greenhouse emissions, saying it would cripple the U.S. economy by limiting industrial production and energy use. The administration instead has focused on technological solutions and voluntary reductions by industry. It has included more than $4 billion for alternative energy in the 2003 energy bill, Perino noted, and Bush announced a $1.2 billion initiative this year to promote hydrogen fuel cell cars.
``We have a comprehensive global climate change program,'' she said. ``We stop short, however, of moving forward with policies that would move jobs overseas and take the pollution and greenhouse gases with them.''
Environmentalists said California has gone further than the White House.
Jon Coifman, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, noted that Davis signed a law last year requiring 20 percent of California's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2017, something the White House has avoided nationally.
Similarly, he said, Bush has opposed higher gas mileage standards on cars and SUVs, has called for more subsidies to oil and coal, and has opposed mandatory caps in greenhouse emissions.
Others said the event was more show than substance.
``The northeastern governors are on the same kick,'' said Myron Ebell, director of global warming policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. ``This is a lot less ambitious than what they are proposing to do. But it looks to me just like political grandstanding.''
Silicon Valley leaders, however, said new markets can be created by hybrid cars, wind power, fuel cells and other clean technologies.
``We think it is a very positive sign,'' said Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. ``The more we can do on our slice of the globe on this critical issue the more we do to help people all over the globe.'' |
