Praises action by counties, cities for climate change
Vox Pop
Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are rising. We know that over a 29 year period, CO2 levels have increased from 354 parts per million (ppm) in 1990 to 414 ppm in 2019. CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gas and tar sands bitumen. When emitted into the earth’s atmosphere, CO2 traps heat which increases water vapor and traps more heat. The end result is that temperatures rise. To date, the global temperature has risen approximately 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. The impacts of higher temperatures include melting glaciers, rising sea level, drought, forest fires, hurricanes and extreme weather events such as rainstorms with 6 to 12 inches of rain. If no action is taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures could increase 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Mark Reynolds, Executive Director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) points out that the United States is the 2nd biggest emitter of CO2 in the world. CCL advocates for an approach called carbon fee and dividend, whereby a steadily rising fee is placed on fossil fuels, with revenues returned to consumers. The fee sends a powerful price signal to the market place to speed up the already happening transition to a clean-energy economy and return revenue to households thus shielding them from the impact of rising energy costs.
Putting a price on carbon was proposed to Congress by Dr. James Hansen, NASA’s lead climate scientist in 2008. He argued that a carbon tax with 100 percent dividend (direct revenue distribution to individuals) would wean us off fossil fuels, bring down CO2 levels below 350 ppm, replace inefficient infrastructure and lead to a phase out of coal. He also warned that if not enacted, we would face a planetary crisis that would threaten the young and unborn. Sadly, for the past 12 years, Congress has not passed climate change legislation.
There is some good news to report from Wisconsin Chapters of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. There seems to be growing local support to take action on climate change evidenced by the passage of resolutions supporting the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763) in the cities of Ashland, Bayfield, Washburn, Wausau, Stevens Point, Appleton, Bayfield counties, Ashland County, Sawyer County, Red Cliff and Bad River Tribal Councils, as well as resolutions or referendums supporting national carbon fee and dividend legislation in the cities of Rice Lake, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Middleton and Waupaca, Eau Claire County, Dane County and Rock County.
A huge thank you goes out to Wisconsin municipal officials for engaging in climate solutions and recognizing the extraordinary responsibility to guarantee a livable world to future generations.
— Tom and Gail Syverud, Ashland
