Climate Already Changing

Congress is taking action on climate change, but it's an uphill battle because some lawmakers are dragging their feet. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is waiting for Congress to pass an energy and climate bill so that an international climate treaty can be enacted. The delay is also causing the United States to lose ground in the new clean energy economy.

As the vast majority of scientists agree, human activity is responsible for global warming. While the planet has natural warming and cooling cycles, when we use coal, oil and gas, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which forms a heat-trapping blanket around the Earth. Global warming is affecting us at a faster rate than anticipated.

Already we are seeing the intense consequences, including extreme heat, droughts, storms, oceans becoming more acidic and rising sea levels.

In May, the House passed the Waxman-Markey bill “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” (ACES). Chairman Waxman maintains that “This legislation will create millions of clean energy jobs, put America on the path to energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.” The bill promotes green jobs, supports renewable energy and places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants.

Now the Senate is considering its own version of climate change legislation.

There is much confusion about the legislation, realities of climate change and its economic impact. Guest spokespeople, both scientists and economists, are available to discuss the environmental and economic impacts of climate change, and the pending legislation.

Can global warming trends be reversed through quick action? What is in the bill? Will cap and trade make a difference? How will the economy be affected by climate legislation? What is the science behind climate change? Why is global warming accelerating?