Global Warming Bottom Lines

An increasing groundswell of voices is speaking one message: “Global warming climate disruption causes must be addressed, now.” Consider the following.

Pope Francis’ climate encyclical “Laudato Si” (Praise Be) is a galvanizing call for faith-based climate response and activism. With a moral call-to-action undergirded by the ethical imperative and guiding tenet of all major faiths, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, Francis entreats faith practitioners and communities to integral action for the common good within all spheres of influence – family, congregation, work, civic and governmental institutions. 

Faith groups are partnering together, rallying and marching, imploring leaders attending the International Paris Climate Convention, Nov. 30-Dec. 11, 2015, to agree on actions keeping global warming below 3-4 degrees C. FACS encourages congregations to join in solutions by signing the Paris Pledge, committing to: 1) reducing C02 footprint 50% by 2030 and 2) becoming carbon neutral by 2050. For more: www.parispledge.org. 

Political will for addressing climate disruption threat is coalescing. A 2015 New York Times/Stanford University poll found that nearly half of Republicans nationwide support government action to curb global warming. Overall, 83% of respondents said “yes” to the question of whether climate change presents a very or somewhat serious threat. 64% of Virginians believe global warming is happening; in DC and Maryland, it is 81% and 68% respectively. 

Growing numbers are advocating climate policies. A recent national survey by Yale Project/George Mason Center for Climate Change Communication found 77% support funding renewable energy sources research; 74% support regulating Carbon Dioxide as a pollutant; 63% support setting strict limits on existing coal-fired power plants; 61% support requiring utilities to produce 20% of electricity from renewable sources. FACS offers a voluntary carbon tax program; monies donated provide funds to low-income groups for energy efficiency. For info:  daveparsons@mindspring.com. 

The following bottom lines may answer “Why?” and “Why now?” 

• Bottom Line: Scientific data confirm  human caused global warming; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced in March 2015 that for the first time global atmospheric CO2 surpassed 400 parts per million (PPM), a rise of 120 PPM since the industrial age. 50% of that rise has occurred since 1980. 
• Bottom Line: Earth is at risk. Those 400 parts per million are like a CO2 blanket. Prior to the Industrial Revolution the blanket layer was about 15 ft.; now, it is 22. The higher the carbon-blanket the greater increase in global warming, climate disruption and extreme weather events. 
• Bottom Line: Climate science denialism as a political and fossil-fuel corporate strategy is faltering. The Senate, on January 21, 2015,  voted 98-1 on Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s one-line, non-binding amendment stating: "it is the sense of the Senate that climate change is real and not a hoax." 
• Bottom Line: Elon Musk is developing batteries to store energy, a game-changer; there are more employees in the solar industry (174,000) than in coal mining (123,000).
• Bottom Line: Virginia must become a player in the emergent green economy. In the US, the market for solar energy grew by 34% in 2014. Global forecast for 2015 solar energy growth is 30%. Goldman Sachs is pledging $40 billion in renewables investment by 2021; Citibank, $100 billion by 2025.
• Bottom Line: For about $80, a poor rural family in Africa can have electricity via a single laptop sized solar panel enabling recharging a cell phone and powering 4 LED lights. Worldwide, 1.5 billion people live without electricity; how long before this cheap technology leapfrogs to them? Investment and jobs will follow.
•  Bottom Line: 30% of energy use is wasted; increasing energy efficiencies reduces energy waste and CO2 pollution.  This is the fastest, cheapest, no-brainer solution; utility budgets shrink. Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of Virginia’s response to the EPA Clean Power Plant Rules.  
• Bottom Line: Public health is at risk. Richmond, VA, has the “distinction” of being an US Asthma Capital. Virginia needs elected officials and utilities acting to move Virginia from the top to the bottom in asthma cases and from the bottom tier to the top tier in both energy efficiency and renewable energies. A win-win for health and the economy.

With Virginia congregations and communities awakening to the global warming risks, with growing political will and policy solutions emerging, Virginians have an important opportunity to reduce the state’s carbon emissions.  

To do so, the majority of elected and appointed officials must support the EPA Clean Power Plant Rules. For improved public health, the economy, and Virginia natural resources, officials need to enact required, not voluntary, Renewable Portfolio and Energy Efficiency Resource Standards. 

Faith-based non-partisan political will for cutting carbon pollution is growing in Fairfax County. FACS calls upon the County and Schools to reduce energy waste through an energy dashboard, energy efficiencies and renewables.

• Bottom Line: Using energy dashboard and energy efficiencies can save millions of dollars in County government and school budgets. Take George Mason University; GMU, by using an energy dashboard and other energy efficiencies, has greatly reduced wasted energy, utilities costs and carbon footprint. www.energydashboard.gmu.edu
• Bottom Line: November 3 elections are fast approaching; ask your local candidates their stand on reducing energy waste, increasing energy efficiency and renewable energies. Will your State Delegate’s approve the VA EPA Clean Power Plant Rules? Ask; allow answers to inform your vote.
• Bottom Line: Increasing energy efficiencies and transitioning to renewable energies will facilitate becoming carbon neutral by 2050-2100 thus insuring a smaller CO2 blanket and assuring a livable, sustainable earth.
• Bottom Line: As people of faith we are called to be stewards of the earth in both “word and deed”- speech holistically enlivened by action.

FACS, partnering with others, seeks “bold action against climate change” by asking County and School government for a measurable reduction in CO2 pollution.

Rev. Dr. G. Jean Wright, ABC/USA

Member, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
http://www.faithforclimate.org