The Climate Stewardship Act (S.139), sponsored by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), was voted on by the U.S. Senate on October 30, 2003. Although the bill did not pass, 44 Senators support the legislation, which would for the first time control U.S. emissions of the heat trapping gases that cause global warming. The sponsors have committed to fight to bring the bill back up for a vote in the Senate in 2004 and as many times as needed until it passes. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Gilchrest and Olver on March 30, 2004. This website includes links to useful resources about the bill.
Senate:
A section-by-section summary of the Climate Stewardship Act as amended and voted on in October 2003 is available from the sponsors: Section-by Section Summary
A summary of the legislation by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change: Legislation Summary
House:
A summary of the House version by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change: Legislation Summary
Fact sheet on the House version of the bill: Fact Sheet
Remarks by Representative Olver upon introduction of the House version of the bill: Olver Remarks
10 Reasons to Support the Climate Stewardship Act
1)
The
Scientific Consensus is Compelling
Drawing
from the work of thousands of scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2001 an international scientific consensus
that, “There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming
observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.”
[Synthesis Report:
Summary for Policy Makers (pdf)]
A U.S.
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study requested by President Bush later
that same year supported the IPCC’s finding, stating that, “Greenhouse
gases are accumulating in the Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human
activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean
temperatures to rise. Temperatures
are, in fact, rising.” [Full
Report] | [Summary]
According
to Dr. Anthony Busalacchi, Chair of the Climate Research Committee of the
NAS, who testified at an October 2003 Senate hearing, “The evidence is
there. The time is now to take
action.” [Testimony]
In
2003, more than 1,000 scientists wrote a letter to the Senate, noting that
these findings by the IPCC and the NAS “have been reinforced rather than
weakened by research” conducted over the past two years, and warning that
“temperature increases in most areas of the United States are expected to
be considerably higher than the global” average of 2.5 to 10.5 degrees
expected this century if we fail to act. [Scientists'
Letter (.doc)]
2)
Global Warming Threatens Public Health and the Environment
A
Bush Administration report to the United Nations in 2002 detailed likely
future impacts from climate changes across our country if we fail to reduce
emissions, including increased risk of storm damage to coastal communities,
declining lake levels in the Great Lakes region, more frequent and intense
droughts, decreased snow pack, and disruption and loss of entire ecosystems.
[Full
Report]
Studies
published in peer-reviewed journals in early 2004 indicate that global
warming could entail widespread extinctions of plant and wildlife species,
with up to one-third of species in some regions irrevocably headed to
extinction within 50 years. [Nature
Article (pdf)] | [Article
Abstract and Press Coverage]
Scientists
at the World Health Organization (WHO) have estimated that, worldwide, about
160,000 people already die every year from side-effects of global warming
ranging from malaria to malnutrition, and that the numbers could almost
double by 2020. [Reuters
Article (.doc)]
3)
Americans Overwhelmingly Support the Act –
According to a national Zogby poll (10/03) [Poll
Results (pdf)]:
75%
of Americans support the Act.
Support
is greater than 70% in each region of the nation, including 73% support in
rural areas.
83% of
Independents support the Act, and Republicans support the Act by a 2-to-1
margin.
4)
U.S. Climate Leadership Creates Jobs & Strengthens the Economy – The
U.S. has the technology and know-how to lead the world in environmental
solutions while creating good-paying jobs here at home and strengthening
America's economy.
Coalitions
of major U.S. corporations, including Maytag, Honeywell, Trane, GE Wind
Energy, American Gas Association, and others who manufacture cleaner
technologies, support the Act’s market-based emissions trading system.
The system encourages innovation and will help U.S. industry be a
leader in the $20 trillion global market for energy technologies over the
next 20 years.
According
to a Zogby poll, union households support the Act by a 6-to-1 margin, and
two-thirds of Americans believe that mandatory controls won’t harm the
economy. [Poll
Results (pdf)]
2,500
economists have said in a statement that climate policies can enhance
economic productivity, and economists and Silicon Valley Investors have sent
separate letters to the Senate supporting the Act. [Economists'
Statement] | [Economists'
Letter (.doc)] | [Investors'
Letter (pdf)]
North
America’s largest re-insurer, Swiss Re, has called on Congress to pass the
Act to protect against the severe economic losses that will result from
global warming. [SwissRe
Letter (.doc)]
5)
Bipartisan Effort to Find Common Ground –
Forty-four
Senators – including Sen. Lugar of Indiana, Sen. McCain of Arizona, and four
other Republicans – have supported the compromise version of the Act voted on
by the Senate, which calls only for emissions to return to year 2000 levels by
2010. [2003
Vote (pdf)]
6)
Modest Plan Protects Consumers, Reduces Natural Gas Prices –
The flexible structure of the bill actually allows emissions to increase above
2000 levels if industry chooses to buy inexpensive “offsets” from farmers
and others. According to an
economic analysis by MIT [Full
Report (pdf)] | [Report
Summary (.doc)]
Cost
consumers less than $20
annually per household;
Lower
natural gas demand and decrease
natural gas prices; and
Allow coal consumption to grow by 10% from current levels.
7)
The “Voluntary” Approach Doesn’t Work
U.S.
emissions increased by 14% in the 1990’s despite a U.S. pledge to
stabilize emissions and government efforts to implement a “voluntary”
plan with industry.
The
congressional General Accounting Office has concluded that the Bush
Administration’s voluntary approach will not prevent further rapid
increases in U.S. emissions, which already account for one-quarter of total
emissions throughout the world. [Full
Report (pdf)]
Because
the gases we emit to the atmosphere today will remain there and trap heat for
decades or longer, every extra ton we emit now will require tighter,
more expensive cuts later on and make it more difficult to adequately
protect the environment.
8)
Broad
Coalition of Support for Action – Those
recently calling on Congress to take action include:
155
mayors representing 46
million Americans; [Mayors'
Statement (pdf)]
League of Women Voters [Action Alert]
175 sportsmen groups, public health groups and conservation organizations; [Letter (.doc)]
Faith
groups
including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National
Council of Churches of Christ, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish
Life (representing 29 national bodies), and the Evangelical Environmental
Network.
9)
Farmers & Ranchers Support the Act –
The National Farmers Union
supports the Act, which creates a new source of income for farmers through a
carbon “sequestration” market that rewards environmentally beneficial
farming, ranching, and forestry. The
Act includes additional incentives for biofuels and wind power.
Farms and ranches are exempt from emissions control requirements under
the Act. [Letter
(.doc)]
10) Opportunity to Reclaim U.S. Role as Environmental Leader – Action on global warming will not only create jobs and begin to safeguard the environment, but also improve relations with Britain and other global allies that are taking more aggressive action. The European Union has already established an emissions trading program. [EU Testimony (webcast)]
Editorials in Support of the Legislation:
Senators McCain and Lieberman wrote an Op-Ed that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle on August 1, 2003: Climate Change and Federal Policy: A Response to Inaction on Global Warming
The Editorials that have been written by newspapers around the country in support of the legislation have been compiled by NET: Editorials Supporting the McCain Lieberman Climate Bill (January 2003-January 2004) (.doc)
The Chicago Tribune wrote an editorial on January 2nd, 2004: A Missed Chance on Warming (.doc)
Fact Sheets and Action Alerts:
The following USCAN member organizations have Fact Sheets for further information and Action Alerts that provide an easy way to let your senators know that you support this important first step to stop global warming:
Compilation of USCAN member action alerts: USCAN action alerts
National Environmental Trust Fact Sheets:
Facts About the Climate Stewardship Act
Ignoring Climate Change Poses Hige Financial Risks
The Climate Stewardship Act: Benefits to the Agricultural Sector
State and Local Leaders are Taking Action to Reduce Global Warming Pollution
Corporate Leaders are Already Reducing Global Warming Pollution
Latest Scientific Findings Show Global Warming is already Causing Serious Damage
Global Warming: The Science is Settled
Natural Resources Defense Council:
The Climate Stewardship Act and the Agriculture Sector
Agriculture Communities and the Climate Stewardship Act
Agriculture and the Limit on Offsets on S139
Environmental Defense:
The Heat Is On: A White Paper on Climate Action, Environmental Defense, June 2004
Sign the global warming petition to become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the CSA: Sign
the Petition
Thank your Senator for
a Yes Vote on the CSA or Ask
why your Senator voted No.
National Wildlife Federation:
Thank those Senators who voted for the CSA in October: A
Climate Change Thank You
Download fact sheets: The
Climate Stewardship Act: A National Plan to Begin Solving Global Warming
Anglers
for Climate Solutions: The McCain-Lieberman Global Warming Plan Protects
America's Top Fishing Holes
Several Economic and Policy Analyses have been performed outlining the impact that the Climate Stewardship Act would have on the U.S. economy and American citizens. The reports, linked to below, predict sharply lower costs than forecast by the Energy Information Administration, finding that major cuts in global warming pollution can be achieved at significant cost savings to American consumers.
MIT Joint Program on Science and Policy of Global Change: Emissions Trading to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States: The McCain Lieberman Proposal
Tellus Institute:
Analysis of the Climate Stewardship Act 2004 Update (pdf)
NRDC Fact Sheet (doc)
Analysis of the Climate Stewardship Act 2003 (pdf)
Pew Center on Global Climate Change:
Pew
Center Assessment of Charles River Associates' Analysis, June 2004
Pew Center Assessment of new EIA Analysis of CSA, June 2004
Fact Sheet on MIT Cost Estimates of S.139 (as offered in 10/03)
Assessment of the EIA Analysis of the Climate Stewardship Act
Stephen J. DeCanio, University of California, Santa Barbara:
Rebuttal of Charles River Associates Analysis
Additional Indications of Support:
Polls:
McCain Lieberman Poll, Program on International Policy Attitudes, June 25, 2004
National Sportsmen Poll, National Wildlife Federation, June 28, 2004
Zogby Poll, October 2003
UCS Regional Impacts and Solutions Reports:
UCS Renewable Energy Factsheets:
Renewables Work: Job Growth from Renewable Energy Development in the Mid-Atlantic
Clean Energy Solutions: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in New Hampshire
Arkansas Articles:
Louisiana McCain Lieberman Letters and Articles:
Montana McCain Lieberman Letters and Articles
Billings Gazette: "Montana Experts Say Climate Change Underway in Much of Western U.S."
Oregon McCain Lieberman Letters and Articles:
Pennsylvania McCain Lieberman Letters and Articles:
Tennessee McCain Lieberman Letters and Articles:
West Virginia Letters and Articles:
For greater intellectual or action involvement please go to:
http://www.climatenetwork.org/csa.htm
or