Sec. Kerry OP on global warming.

[mylye2222]

http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2014/06/03/us-setting-example-world-climate-change-americas-measures-cut-carbon-emissions

Carbon pollution is a direct cause of global climate change. This is a simple, scientific fact -- a fact that compels us to act.

The threats posed by climate change are real. We already feel the impact in our coastal communities. We feel it in more dangerous storms and spreading droughts. Scientists warn that this is only the beginning -- that if we fail to act now, the world as we know it will change dramatically for the worse.

On Monday, President Barack Obama took the latest and most ambitious step by any American administration to meet our responsibilities to protect the climate. The Environmental Protection Agency for the first time proposed limits on carbon emissions from power plants that have been polluting for decades.

Once finalised, these limits alone will reduce U.S. power sector emissions by as much as 30 per cent by 2030. They will avoid up to 6,500 premature deaths and prevent 150,000 asthma attacks in children each year, according to EPA calculations.

Over the past five years, domestically and with our international partners, the U.S. has done more to reduce the threat of climate change than in the two previous decades. Today, thanks to President Obama’s climate action plan, the U.S. is well on the way to meeting our international commitment to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

That progress has occurred because we are going straight to the largest sources. We have been targeting emissions that come from our cars, trucks and power plants -- which together account for more than 60 per cent of the greenhouse gases that are destroying our climate.

At the same time, Americans have doubled the amount of energy that we are generating from wind and solar sources, and have become smarter about the way we use energy in our homes and businesses. As a result, today we are emitting less than we have in nearly two decades.

But even as we strive to do better, we recognise that no country can solve this problem alone. Even if the U.S. somehow eliminated all our domestic greenhouse gas emissions, it still would not be enough. The rest of the world is spewing too much carbon pollution. Indeed, if even a few key economies fail to respond to this threat, the world will be unable to cut carbon pollution enough to safeguard our environment.

Global co-operation is required. Industrialised countries have to play a leadership role in reducing emissions, but that does not mean other nations have the right to repeat the mistakes of the past.

When big nations including the U.S. were industrialising, we did not know the environmental impact that would come as a result, nor did we have better alternatives. Today, the world has alternatives -- the question is not whether to grow, but how. And today, we understand that emissions coming from anywhere threaten the future for people everywhere.

The U.S. is prepared to play a leading role, both in getting our own house in order and in bringing other nations to the table.

President Obama recognises the urgency. That is why he has made clear that the U.S. is prepared to play a leading role, both in getting our own house in order and in bringing other nations to the table. We have to work with other players such as the EU, China, India, and Brazil.

Together, we are making important progress. We can and must do more. For example, the U.S. and EU are pioneers of clean energy technology, and we are working together to deploy that technology to the developing countries where the need is greatest. Think about what cheap, abundant and clean energy sources could mean for less-developed nations striving to grow stronger and wealthier. We are also working alongside the UK, the Netherlands and others to limit investments in high-carbon energy infrastructure.

For the world to overcome the enormous threat climate change poses, we need every country to do everything within its power to pursue cleaner and healthier energy sources. We need to pursue the UN climate negotiations with vigour and determination toward an ambitious global agreement in Paris next year.

Even as we work together, every nation must also act on its own to develop and implement ambitious plans to reduce emissions and build a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable future.

When it comes to climate change, we cannot close our eyes and cover our ears. We cannot ignore the facts accepted by 97 per cent of the world’s climate change scientists. We cannot pretend not to know any better, and pursue policies that increase the threat instead of eliminating it when we have the means to meet this challenge in our hands.

The choices the world makes now will influence the lives of many generations to come. If we make the right choices, we can meet the challenge of climate change and create jobs and economic growth in every corner of the globe.

The U.S. is setting a responsible example. We will need leaders and people around the world to do the same.

[CrispyQ]

1. 30% by 2030?

Over the past five years, domestically and with our international partners, the U.S. has done more to reduce the threat of climate change than in the two previous decades.

That's not saying much.

It's too little, too late.

[mylye2222]

2. No it's not too late.

But it will be if people thinks only pessimistic, and therefor, resign to the effort.

[CrispyQ]

4. Pessimistic? Fuckin' A I'm pessimistic.

Our measly little 30% effort (in one industry!) by 2030 isn't going to do squat. We need major reform now, across the globe, but there is no political will to do so in a for-profit model. We are moving too slowly on all fronts. We arrogantly believe that our big brain will save us from our own self-destruction, but we can't even rein in our greed.

Greed is going to kill our planet.

This is an excellent documentary by a scientist, James Balog, who was skeptical about climate change until he went out & got photographic evidence of the arctic melting. There is a calving event in the movie that is mind blowing in scope. It took approximately 90 minutes in real time for a glacier about the size of Manhattan to break off. Netflix has this movie. Highly recommended.

[karynnj]

3. It is an ambiguous goal - and even it may be hard to meet

However, it is a major effort and it would not be unusual if the goal is reached early and exceeded. One thing that Kerry had experience with was that he was key to the NE Governor's conference (he represented Dukakis and he had learned of what worked in the Black Forrest through his French cousin, who was the head of France's environmental effort) adopting acid rain controls - that became the model for the Bush 1 program.

There were the same comments that it was not strong enough and that it would not work, but it did better and worked faster than the law required.

This could happen too. The reason is that any company facing replacing a power plant will use the best technology available - to avoid having to replace it now and when it will not pass some time in the future.

PS I love that Obama mentioned Vermont as an example to follow. I have lived here about a year and a half - and just yesterday met someone who said she was a VT newbe too - she moved here in 1961. However, in just that short a time, I have learned two things. To Vermont quality of life includes a healthy environment, not bigger and bigger mega mansions. The second is that the government - at all levels - is accessible. (In the past I had seen that in Massachusetts - as compared to NJ) I think both of these things are why little VT can be a leader.