Global Warming News

PHILADELPHIA—Pennsylvania created more global warming pollution in 2004 than all but two other states, according to The Carbon Boom, a new analysis of state fossil fuel consumption data released today by PennEnvironment.  The report, which is the first to analyze 2004 state-by-state data on carbon dioxide emissions, also found that global warming pollution in Pennsylvania increased by 5% between 1990 and 2004.

“Pennsylvania is a big part of the global warming problem, which means we have a big part to play in pushing for solutions,” said Nathan Willcox, Energy & Clean Air Advocate with PennEnvironment.  “Our leaders in Harrisburg and Washington, DC need to be implementing policies to significantly cut global warming pollution and help avoid global warming’s worst consequences.”

PennEnvironment’s report comes less than a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a U.N. body charged with assessing the scientific record on global warming, released its consensus report on the current and projected impacts of global warming.  The report warned of increasing droughts, floods, heat waves, forest fires, and coastal flooding in the United States, but concluded that “many impacts can be avoided, reduced, or delayed” by quickly and significantly reducing global warming pollution.

“Global warming pollution levels in Pennsylvania and across the country continue to rise just as scientists are sounding alarms that we must rapidly reduce pollution to protect future generations.  This report is a wake-up call to cap pollution levels now before it is too late,” said Willcox.

The report’s release also comes roughly two weeks before Gov. Rendell is expected to announce his state-level global warming plan for Pennsylvania.  PennEnvironment has applauded the governor for taking a leadership role on this issue, and has urged him to include global warming pollution reduction targets in line with what current science says is needed to prevent the worst effects of global warming, similar to what Gov. Corzine recently announced for New Jersey.

Using data compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy, PennEnvironment’s new report examines trends in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption between 1990 and 2004, the most recent year for which state-by-state data are available.

Major findings of the report include:
•    Pennsylvania emitted 276.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption in 2004, ranking the commonwealth 3rd nationwide behind Texas and California.  The commonwealth’s many coal-fired power plants were cited as the largest source of these emissions. 
•    Pennsylvania’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption grew from 262.2 million metric tons in 1990 to 276.6 million metric tons in 2004, an increase of 5%.
•    Nationwide, emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption increased by 18% between 1990 and 2004.  Coal-fired power plants and the transportation sector—especially cars and SUVs—drove this emissions increase.
•    In Pennsylvania, carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants jumped by 12.3 million metric tons between 1990 and 2004, rising from 99.4 million metric tons to 111.6 million metric tons.  Carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector jumped by 11.3 million metric tons between 1990 and 2004, rising from 58.7 million metric tons to 70 million metric tons.  Carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas-fired power plants rose by 3.4 million metric tons, from .7 million metric tons to 4.2 million metric tons. 

“The good news is that we have the technology at our fingertips to cut global warming pollution and forge a cleaner, more secure energy future,” said Willcox.

Pennsylvania and the United States as whole could substantially reduce its global warming pollution by using existing technologies to make power plants, businesses, homes, and cars more efficient and increasing the use of clean, renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. 

At the federal level, the Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590), introduced by Representative Henry Waxman (CA) in the House, and the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309), introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (VT) and Barbara Boxer (CA) in the Senate, would limit global warming pollution to levels that current science says are needed to prevent the worst effects of global warming.  The bills would freeze U.S. global warming emissions in 2010 and reduce emissions by about 15% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050.

“To protect future generations, our leaders in Harrisburg and Washington, DC must take decisive action to cut global warming pollution.  At the federal level, PennEnvironment calls on Pennsylvania’s senators and members of Congress to co-sponsor the only bills that do what scientists say we need to do—the Safe Climate Act and the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act,” concluded Willcox.  “PennEnvironment commends U.S. Representatives Brady, Fattah, Patrick Murphy, Schwartz and Sestak for co-sponsoring this critical legislation.”