Two days ago, Al Gore addressed the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. This is the Senate Committee where legislation could direct the US on a course to join the rest of the world in realizing the crisis that is represented by global warming. In January a bill was introduced into the committee dealing with global warming. Here are some specifics.
The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309) amends the Clean Air Act. Senate Bill 309 will direct the EPA to (1) set milestones to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050), (2) increase emissions standards for cars by 2016 (3) to work with the National Academy of Sciences to study the contribution of non-highway transportation sector toward meeting emissions standards (4) require that electric generation plants (which are mostly coal fueled) to reach a rate no higher than natural gas units (5) establish a low-carbon generation trading program.
The bill was introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) in January 2007 to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The bill has not gone further than being introduced, and assigned to committee, but the details of the Bill are worthy of examining from the stand point of discussions in this Blog about Climate Change and Global Warming.
To get a flavor of how Senator Sanders thinks about global warming go to his < a href=”http://sanders.senate.gov/”>Senate page and click on audio/video of his remarks when Al Gore met with the Environment and Public Works Committee or click here. It is clear that within the Senate there are individuals who understand the science of global warming, and now that the majority in the Senate has changed hands, there is a greater chance for legislation to support a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the USA, and other important guidelines.
This bill would be a very important issue for secondary science classrooms to investigate. Students could be in touch with their own Senators, and find out where in the process the bill is, and what next steps will be taken. In addition to the resources identified by the Senate, here are some other resources that students should consult.
Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Issue of Global Warming at the Woods Hole Research Center Website
Meeting the Climate-Change Challenge by Dr. John P. Holdren, Director of the Woods Hole Research Center
The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change by Tim Flannery
Global Climate Change Research Explorer at the Exploratorium Website
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