Printer-friendly version
On Earth Day, world leaders are expected to sign the historic Paris Agreement, marking an important global step toward slowing climate change. (Pixabay)
By Eric Galatos, Public News Service
April 22, 2016 (New York) -- Leaders from 150 nations are gathering in New York today, Earth Day, to sign the historic Paris Agreement, a coordinated global effort to reduce climate pollution.
Boulder, Colorado Mayor Suzanne Jones says she hopes the event will send a strong message to global markets that governments are serious about moving away from fossil fuels. She notes Colorado has been a leader in harnessing policy to develop clean energy.
"We are rapidly trying to bring online more solar and wind energy," says Jones. "We think it's not only important for our own economic growth, because that's a growth industry here in Colorado, but it also is a model for the rest of the country, about how we can transition off fossil fuels."
The Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce climate pollution by 32 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030, is the cornerstone of America's commitment.
But the U.S. Supreme Court put it on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit by some industry groups and states.
Opponents claim the plan would force power plants to make big investments to comply with rules that could be overturned depending on the outcome of the next election.
David Ellenberger, Rocky Mountain region campaign manager for the National Wildlife Federation, was in Paris during the climate summit that produced the global agreement.
He points to a recent survey that found 70 percent of U.S. power company executives think the Clean Power Plan targets should be left in place or increased. He says the plan is the single largest action the nation can take to curb climate change.
"It's a large commitment on our part, but we're not the only one that's making a big commitment," says Ellenberger. "China and India, a couple of the world's biggest polluters, are also putting forth very solid agreements to reduce their carbon emissions and that's good news for wildlife and people across the world."
Ellenberger adds reducing climate pollution also would have a big impact on public health. According to the EPA, the Clean Power Plan would prevent 3,600 premature deaths and 90,000 asthma attacks each year by 2030.
Recent comments