This past week, President Obama, through the EPA, released an ambitious plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants by 30% from 2005 levels by the year 2030. Despite the plan focusing mostly on coal-produced pollution, we are finally moving in the direction we should have been decades ago. Of course, those in the coal industry are screaming bloody murder and their fellow climate deniers are saying this is all about killing jobs to enforce a political ideology. While there may be a loss of some jobs and a general decrease in coal-mining, it is likely more jobs will be created as the energy sector continues to undertake innovation in sustainable, cleaner forms of energy production.
A unique aspect of this carbon-cutting plan is that it relies on individual states to make decisions on where to make cuts and undertake energy-investment opportunities. Much like the European Union allows its member nations to implement many of its environmental regulations in their own individualized ways, this allows states to be flexible in how they will actually achieve these cuts. Some states have already met the goals, while others will be given credits that take into account that their energy production largely comes from coal. Far from limiting the country and individual states in economic terms, this promotes innovation as well as flexibility which is a good thing when dealing with such a complex issue. Opponents may claim that China will more than make up for what we don't dump in the air, but there are signs that isn't true. In addition, it finally looks like America is showing that it is willing to take part in the international need to cut carbon emissions. America is a leader on many issues, but has been far behind on the challenge of global warming and climate change. It is entirely possible that with our nation finally taking important action on carbon emissions, other nations that have been holding back will follow suit.
Again this is an ambitious plan, but for those of us who want to see meaningful change there is a need to stay vigilant. The plan is up for public comment over the next year, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for opponents and the coal industry to water this plan down. Beyond that, power plant emissions are just a fraction of overall human-based carbon pollution. We would see the most immediate benefit if greater regulations were placed on transportation emissions. Cars, trucks, planes, anything that runs on oil-based fuel puts a large amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Fuel-efficiency and the push to move away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles (including planes) needs to be stressed to our lawmakers. It's up to us to make sure that regulators, lawmakers, and industry pay attention to the science of carbon emissions and global warming.
A unique aspect of this carbon-cutting plan is that it relies on individual states to make decisions on where to make cuts and undertake energy-investment opportunities. Much like the European Union allows its member nations to implement many of its environmental regulations in their own individualized ways, this allows states to be flexible in how they will actually achieve these cuts. Some states have already met the goals, while others will be given credits that take into account that their energy production largely comes from coal. Far from limiting the country and individual states in economic terms, this promotes innovation as well as flexibility which is a good thing when dealing with such a complex issue. Opponents may claim that China will more than make up for what we don't dump in the air, but there are signs that isn't true. In addition, it finally looks like America is showing that it is willing to take part in the international need to cut carbon emissions. America is a leader on many issues, but has been far behind on the challenge of global warming and climate change. It is entirely possible that with our nation finally taking important action on carbon emissions, other nations that have been holding back will follow suit.
Again this is an ambitious plan, but for those of us who want to see meaningful change there is a need to stay vigilant. The plan is up for public comment over the next year, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for opponents and the coal industry to water this plan down. Beyond that, power plant emissions are just a fraction of overall human-based carbon pollution. We would see the most immediate benefit if greater regulations were placed on transportation emissions. Cars, trucks, planes, anything that runs on oil-based fuel puts a large amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Fuel-efficiency and the push to move away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles (including planes) needs to be stressed to our lawmakers. It's up to us to make sure that regulators, lawmakers, and industry pay attention to the science of carbon emissions and global warming.
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