Weekly Column: Maine Can Lead Greenhouse Gas Reduction Effort

April 26, 2007

During the height of the Cold War in the 1980’s, children often confided to their parents about their fears and worries of a nuclear attack from the former Soviet Union. At times when the rhetoric heated up, there were legitimate concerns that the world that knew may end over east versus west differences.

Today more countries than ever have nuclear weapons or are trying to get them, but strangely, this is not the top worry for our kids these days.

So what has our children so scared?

A recent poll more of than a 1,000 middle-school aged students by the education site brainpop.com discovered that 60 percent polled said global warming and environmental disasters-such as hurricanes, tornados and flooding worries them the most. While the war in Iraq or the war on terrorism may be the top worry for adults, our children are telling us very clearly that they are concerned for the world they will be inheriting in the years to come.

So why have our children latched on to the issue of global warming?

Perhaps our children are just paying attention more in their science classes or they are more observant than we think. It has not even been two years since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, killing thousands and costing the region and our country billions of dollars. Overnight, a prosperous area of our community was turned into what was widely described as a war zone. Today, many communities in the Gulf Coast remain uninhabitable. Following Katrina, many started to look at global warming as a major contributing factor.

When you look at the science behind global warming, it is very strong. Every time we drive our cars, heat our homes, or turn on a light switch, we are contributing to the problem. The increased use and demand for the energy resources that produce or supply our cars, homes, or other goods, are just some of the contributing causes that are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere.

According to scientists, a big part of the global warming problem is that the inordinate amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere is causing the world’s glaciers and ice caps to melt. The melting of key ice masses in Greenland and in the Antarctic will cause the world’s ocean level to rise, submerging coastal landmasses around the world causing trillions of dollars in damage. In addition to the flooding, the melting of the ice caps will cause temperatures around the world to rise and as a result change weather patterns permanently.

Many predict that changing weather climate could increase the number of dangerous Hurricane Katrina-like storms, change Maine’s climate to something more like Virginia’s, and threaten marine and animal species everywhere.

So what is being done to curb global warming?

Around the world, nearly every country except the United States and Australia have agreed to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was a global treaty negotiated in Japan designed to curb the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses through creative emission trading agreements. Essentially, countries producing fewer greenhouse gasses would trade “carbon credits” to countries like the United States who produce more.

With the absence of federal leadership, Maine and other states are working together to form a regional partnership to cut the greenhouses that we produce. Under a legislative plan called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Act of 2007, Maine and other states would establish a carbon dioxide cap-and-trade program for our biggest polluting fossil fuel fired electrical generating units within the State.

While consumer energy costs are expected to go up slightly in the short term, Maine residents could see greater savings in the long term. For example, proceeds from the carbon-trading auction will provide additional funds to Maine’s popular Efficiency Maine program, which will directly benefit Maine consumers. The program provides energy conservation grants and subsidies on everything from compact fluorescent light bulbs to solar energy rebate programs for homes.

One of Maine’s top energy producers, Verso Paper, gave their support to the bill calling it “flexible, balanced, and prospective.” Verso has two of the most efficient power plants in the country and seems to understand that increased plant efficiencies are both better for business and better for the environment.

Pollution is changing the world as we know, but Maine and other New England States have a chance to be a real leader in the fight against global warming.

Libby Mitchell is the Senate Majority Leader in the Maine Senate. She represents the communities of Augusta, Vassalboro, China, Oakland, and Sidney for District 24.