President Bush should act on the new federal report identifying greenhouse gas emissions as the likeliest cause of recent global warming, said REP America, the national grassroots organization of Republicans for environmental protection (www.rep.org).
"This report, forwarded to Congress with a letter signed by the secretaries of Energy and Commerce, and the president's chief science adviser, makes clear that the global warming we have seen in recent decades is most likely the result of human activity, chiefly carbon dioxide emitted by burning oil, gas, and coal," said Jim DiPeso, REP America policy director.
"We call on President Bush to re-examine his passive climate policy and to propose measured but ambitious policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through standards and incentives that will improve energy efficiency and accelerate the commercialization of clean energy technologies," DiPeso said.
The report describes the serious down sides of global warming for agriculture, including crops with less nutritional value and spread of crop-destroying weeds and pests.
"Damage to agriculture is only one of many risks that global warming poses in the years ahead. A changing climate could bring us a costly future of rising storm damage along the coasts, more frequent heat waves in our cities, and shrinkage of fresh water supplies nationwide," DiPeso said.
"Fortunately, we don't have to sit passively by and let it all happen. Recently, Princeton University scientists identified 15 technologies available today that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 50 years, in addition to cutting our dependence on foreign oil, creating jobs, and reducing pollution. It's time for stronger federal leadership to establish policies and marshal the resources needed to put these technologies to work and reduce our exposure to climate change risks," DiPeso said.
