The Climate Crisis

A Plan to Stop It

In a major speech yesterday, Al Gore described a practical plan for proceeding on a realistic path to the goal of stopping the runaway greenhouse effect that imperils the future of the planet. After having successfully made the case for the reality and causes of the Climate Crisis in his movie and book, in this speech he outlined steps for action.

In its story on the speech, the Washington Post led with one creative proposal: for a "Connie Mae" federal mortgaging fund to finance carbon-neutral homebuilding--a Fannie Mae for the Climate Crisis.

Here is how columnist Donnie Fowler elsewhere summarized Gore's main action points:

First, immeditately freeze CO2 emissions and begin reductions. California has done it and so have 295 American cities.

Second, join the Kyoto Treaty. "The absence of the United States from the treaty means that 25% of the world economy is now missing. It is like filling a bucket with a large hole in the bottom ... Many American businesses that operate in other countries already have to abide by the Kyoto Treaty anyway, and unsurprisingly, they are the companies that have been most eager to adopt these new principles here at home."

Third, recognize that the answer is not found in a silver bullet but in "silver buckshot."

Two Princeton professors have identified 15 to 20 building blocks that can make a difference even if only 7 or 8 of them are used. A few of the most important building blocks are:

a. eliminate the energy it takes to make energy and to transport it
b. change our transportation infrastructure, switching to new flex fuel, plug-in, and hybrid cars
c. reduce deforestation
d. pursue renewable sources of energy -- biomass, wind, solar.
d.new building designs drawn from innovative engineering and architecture.

f. place a price on the CO2 pollution that is recognized in the marketplace -- eliminate all payroll taxes ­ including those for social security and unemployment compensation and repleace that revenue in the form of pollution taxes, ­principally on CO2. The overall level of taxation would remain exactly the same.

Gore's proposals are valuable because they combine current scientific knowledge (climate scientists have found no significant errors in Gore's movie or book) and his own hard-won political wisdom. For example, from the speech itself:

... we should start by immediately freezing CO2 emissions and then beginning sharp reductions. Merely engaging in high-minded debates about theoretical future reductions while continuing to steadily increase emissions represents a self-delusional and reckless approach. In some ways, that approach is worse than doing nothing at all, because it lulls the gullible into thinking that something is actually being done when in fact it is not. An immediate freeze has the virtue of being clear, simple, and easy to understand. It can attract support across partisan lines as a logical starting point for the more difficult work that lies ahead.

Gore goes on to say that in the 80s, he thought the "nuclear freeze" movement was naive, while he was behind a complex plan to control nuclear weapons. But the idea of a nuclear freeze caught on, he realized, and paved the way for detailed steps to be taken to reduce nuclear weapons.

Similarly, Gore has revived a proposal he says he made 14 years ago, but now sees it could have much more political resonance: end all federal payroll taxes, and replace them with taxes on pollution, principally CO2. ... instead of discouraging businesses from hiring more employees, it would discourage business from producing more pollution.

Gore also proposes some sweeping yet exciting and very possible changes, such as improvement in our antiquated system of distributing electrical energy, that would further enhance our efficiency and security. Together with homegrown energy systems, smarter application of information technology and energy efficiency, Gore makes a strong case for lessening dependence on foreign oil.

By emphasizing innovation in confronting the Climate Crisis (and I would add, in addition to these efforts to Stop It, the Fix It component--dealing with the effects of the Climate Crisis already on the way-- also will require imagination, innovation and new production) there is vast potential to revive American industry (including exports), education and community. As Gore points out, the Chinese symbol for crisis combines the symbols for danger and opportunity. We seen opportunists turn danger into political advantage; wouldn't it be refreshing if we could confront a real danger with real transformation that would benefit everyone?

As the news of Gore's speech spreads, there is this incredible report from the Independent, that sounds a little like a reprint from the Onion:

President Bush is preparing an astonishing U-turn on global warming, senior Washington sources say. After years of trying to sabotage agreements to tackle climate change he is drawing up plans to control emissions of carbon dioxide and rapidly boost the use of renewable energy sources.

I'll reserve my skepticism on the plans he is "drawing up" for further indication this is actually going to happen, but it does suggest that a sea-change is ahead in our nation's approach to the Climate Crisis.