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The Mainstreaming of Climate Action: R U Blinking While Yr World's Redefined?
Every day, it seems, some new progress is being announced on climate change. (1) This good news may make some of us feel we can breathe a little easier. But the mainstreaming of climate action - if that is what is happening - should heighten, not diminish, our alertness. Climate response is a world-changing endeavor. Along with new means of generating and distributing physical power, political power structures and relationships are being formed as well. Business, government and nonprofits are redefining their relationships. Control over money and resources are shifting as various players are positioning themselves for best advantage. Here's just one issue to wrap our minds around: GMO fuel crops. I've heard in conversations with farmers that Monsanto is selling and testing GMO canola crops here in Washington and is likely in position to dominate that market. Will canola, which is used for biodiesel, even become a major biofuel crop in this state? Do we care if it's GMO? How about when the technology to use algae for fuel becomes market ready -- as it will -- what might the GMO consequences be there? This is just one of many major changes in direction we're just about to make. As Bill Sherman said in a Washblog interview last year, Washington is at an energy and environmental choicepoint.
A number of Washington environmental organizations are in on the planning for next Tuesday's Cool Climate Action Day. This is part of an ongoing action to jump start a new level of citizen involvement in the high-level decisions being made right now to implement Governor Gregoire's Executive Order 07-02. One might think of this as a kind of a G8 citizen action to influence how state government is going to reach its over-arching goal of reducing state greenhouse emissions to no more than 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. Unlike at the G8 protests, however, most of the citizen participants are likely to agree that government leaders are on right side of this issue in Washington. In fact, our state is a leader in an arena where the states are taking charge because the federal government has failed to act. Next Tuesday, August 7, Washington's Department of Ecology and Community Trade and Economic Development (CTED) will hold the third of eight state-wide meetings of the Washington Climate Advisory Team (CAT) at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle (8:30 am to 5pm). The CAT team was developed to provide recommendations to state government for meeting our climate change goals in Washington state by January, 2008. It consists of leaders from business, government, academia, the nonprofit sector and religious and tribal organizations. Citizen input is invited.
A group of environmental organizations, including Sierra Club's Cascade Chapter, Climate Solutions, Environment Washington, and Northwest Energy Coalition have been working to encourage citizen input into this process. They are planning a combination rally and media event at the CAT meeting on August 7 that will also feature opportunities for citizen input to the advisory team.
How exactly can citizen and awarenes help. First, on the broadest level, it can help out state meet green gas reduction goal. Program funding is never a done deal. The political will to maintain the level of funding needed is critical. Second, Governor Gregoire has set an ambitious goal -- but it might not be enough. There's an emerging agreement that an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels -- not the 50% set as the state goal by Governor Gregoire -- will be necessary (2). Beyond the questions of defining and achieving the goal -- it's also critically important how we do all that.
To what extent will our response to climate change be environmentally friendly, economically just, fiscally prudent, and good for communities and families? Who will ensure that Washington's communities and small and mid-sized businesses and farms get a fair share of profits from the new industries that are emerging now? Carbon trading and alternative fuels are important pieces of the puzzle but also carry big risks and downsides. How will we deal with those? How much will we rely on genetically altered crops, high chemical inputs, and intensive use of water resources to grow them? Will we invest adequately in smart growth and conservation? What are the next 'heroic icons' on the scale of the hydroelectric dam and nuclear power plant? Will we choose them well?
Taking the time to attend this event sends a message to Washington government and businesses that they will be supported in the tough decisions needed to address climate change - and challenged where they do not. It is an opportunity for networking and education. And it's an opportunity not only to give specific citizen input to government climate action -- but to get a close up view of how the aspects of your life that you most care about are likely to be impacted.
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