The Quick Facts: Measures must be taken both nationally and internationally to slow the pace of global warming. Domestically bills are pending in Congress to reducing global warming while the international community will meet in December to further international efforts. These actions will hopefully help curb greenhouse gas emissions but we should all do our part at home to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and teach our kids to do so as well by encouraging kids to turn off lights in the house; explaining the need to carpool; and planting trees.
We keep hearing about global warming but little action has taken place. Recently, there is momentum in the U.S. Congress as well as from the international community that indicated national and international actions might be taken to address global warming, in particular, to limit the emission of carbon dioxide. Despite national and international action, you and your family can take action to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and teach your kids about our impact on the air.
Science & Policy
Scientists have reported, and politicians are beginning to agree, that greenhouse gases are making the earth hotter, the consequences of which include rising sea level, failing crops, etc. (see Real Mama’s article “What’s Hot 2007? The Earth”). The primary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2007 to be a “pollutant” that could be regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just like any other pollutant today (i.e., power plants have to limit their emission of most other pollutants). Importantly, almost half of the states are already limiting greenhouse gases in some way.
Domestic Actions
In the House of Representatives, H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) was introduced on May 15, 2009, by Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA). The bill’s key provision is a cap-and-trade program. A cap-and-trade program requires a power plant or other entity that emits carbon dioxide to buy a permit for each ton of carbon dioxide emitted each year. The government runs such a program and establishes a target level for all greenhouse gas emissions (or cap) so that the number of permits distributed by the government remains below the emission level set by the cap. Once distributed, the permits are freely traded (bought and sold) by other companies who need to emit more pollutants than they have permits for, or even by non-profit organizations that want to reduce the overall amount of greenhouse gases emitted. The government then reduces the number of permits issued over time to meet target levels (or cap) aimed at reducing the overall level of emissions overtime.
In the Senate, S. 1462, the American Clean Energy and Leadership Act of 2009 (ACELA) was introduced July 16, 2009 by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). The bill does not include a cap-and-trade program but relies on establishing national standards for renewable electricity generation. These standards would require that utilities provide a certain amount (for example, 20 percent by 2020) of electricity from renewable sources in an effort to level the playing field in terms of the competitive advantage coal and oil hold as the fuel of choice for the generation of electricity.
In addition to legislative efforts, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated a willingness to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted from power plants or other large emitting sources. Largely in response to the April 2007 U.S. Supreme Court case, the EPA recently published a rule for comment that would start the process of regulating carbon dioxide like other pollutants and requiring those who emit it to limit such emissions (including cars).
International Actions
Some countries are already limiting greenhouse gases emissions due to their participation in the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol set up an international cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide that required nations to reduce emission levels to below 1990 levels. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. In December 2009, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) will convene in Copenhagen to try to agree on a new international climate change regime to replace the Kyoto protocol. The United States failed to fully participate in the Kyoto Protocol and is not subject to it despite being the largest contributor to global warming. The U.S. is responsible for approximately twenty-five percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Importantly, on a global scale, China now emits as much greenhouse gas as the United States and India’s greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to greatly increase by 2030 due to expected growth. Participation of these nations in the new talks is essential to making headway to reducing global warming. However, the United States still has the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world and has contributed the most greenhouse gas emissions, by far (the U.S. emits the same amount of greenhouse gases as 2.6 billion people living in 151 developing countries).
Talking to Kids about Global Warming
With this background in mind, there are things you can do at home and with your kids to start introducing them to the idea that our actions impact the earth. Talking to kids about the reasons for helping to reduce emissions is important. Depending on the age the child, try to make it an interesting topic and something you can work on as a family. In our family, with a 5, 3, and 1 year old it is as basic as saying that “Turning off the lights can help save the polar bears.” Although there are many steps in between turning off the lights and preserving polar bears habitat, having a connection as to why they need to turn the lights off helps them remember to do it and feel good about it. Here are some additional tips (for more tips about relating global warming to children’s learning, see Real Mama’s article about what your family can do about global warming entitled “Solutions to Global Warming for the Reasonable Family”):
• Teach kids to turn off the lights when they leave a room.
• Combine errands or carpool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the errands relate to your kids.
• Plant trees for special occasions or at the very least if you cut any trees down, be sure to replace them.
Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2454pcs.txt.pdf (Text of H.R. 2454, 111th Congress).
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1462pcs.txt.pdf (Text of S. 1462, 111th Congress)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/17/AR2009041701453.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009041800145 (Washington Post, Juliet Eilperin, EPA Says Emissions Are Threat to Public, Finding Could Lead to Greenhouse Gas Limits, Wash. Post, April 19, 2009)
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment/downloads/EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0171-0001.pdf (EPA issued a proposed rule finding that carbon dioxide and other GHGs pose a danger to the public’s health and welfare. Proposed Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Finding for Greenhouse Gases under § 202(a) Clean Air Act; Proposed Rule, 74 Fed. Reg. 18886 (April 24, 2009))
http://www.ipcc.ch (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading scientific body for the assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences.
http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/USGas%2Epdf (Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Designing a Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program for the U.S. (2003))
Tags: global warming, international actions, kids and global warming, legislation
