http://www.commondreams.org/news2003/1009-01.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 9, 2003
10:35 AM
CONTACT: U.S.
PIRG
Liz Hitchcock, Beth Lander, Katherine Morrison (202) 546-9707
The
Costs Of Inaction:
Delaying Action On Global Warming Costs Consumers And The Environment
WASHINGTON - October
9 - Extreme weather events cost Americans nearly
$20 billion in 2002, a cost that could increase if the U.S. does
nothing
to curb global warming. At the same time, clean energy technologies
could
save American consumers billions of dollars and reduce global
warming
pollution, according to a new report by the U.S. PIRG Education
Fund.
Released as Congress
considers a conference report on a national energy
bill, the U.S. PIRG report -- The Costs of Inaction: Delaying
Action on
Global Warming Costs Consumers and the Environment -- details
how clean
energy solutions could save consumers billions of dollars and
curb global
warming pollution.
"People say we
can’t change the weather, but due to global warming we may
already have," said U.S. PIRG Global Warming Advocate Beth
Lander. "While
the U.S. does nothing to curb global warming, consumers are losing
out
on the money-saving benefits of clean energy solutions, and we
all pay
the price to deal with the consequences."
Burning dirty fossil
fuels (oil, coal and gas) to power cars and homes
releases heat-trapping global warming gases into the atmosphere,
which
alters the climate of the planet and throws weather systems out
of balance.
Scientists warn that doing nothing to reduce global warming pollution
will increase the frequency and severity of costly extreme weather
events
such as drought, floods, and hurricanes. U.S. PIRG analyzed data
from
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Flood Insurance
Program, Army Corps of Engineers, Small Business Administration,
Farm Service Agency, and the Property Claims Service and found
that
extreme weather-related spending in the U.S. in 2002 totaled nearly
$20 billion nationally. According to the report:
In 2002, the U.S. government
spent $13.8 billion on weather-related
disaster assistance and the insurance companies paid out nearly
$5.9 billion; Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Georgia were the
four states with the highest overall spending in 2002; and North
Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming were the four states
with the highest per capita spending.
"The Bush Administration
says it’s too expensive to curb global
warming pollution, but the solutions to global warming can save
consumers billions of dollars," said U.S. PIRG Staff Attorney
Katherine Morrison.
U.S. PIRG’s report
details the numerous solutions available to reduce
global warming emissions, especially carbon dioxide, which would
also
save consumers money and boost the economy.
Increasing the percentage
of electricity generated from clean, renewable
sources to 20% by 2020 could reduce global warming emissions from
power
plants by 19% in 2020. In the U.S., more than four times the country’s
total electricity needs could be met by renewables, not including
solar
energy. A study by the Bush Administration’s Energy Information
Administration found that a 20% standard is feasible and that
consumers
could save money in the long run. Implementing energy efficiency
and
renewable energy measures together could save American residential
utility customers nearly $5.8 billionannually on their natural
gas
bills alone.
When fully implemented,
raising fuel economy standards to 40-mpg within
a decade for cars, light trucks, and SUVs could cut U.S. global
warming
pollution from passenger vehicles by 20%. By 2020, this would
reduce
oil consumption from cars and trucks by one-third and save American
consumers more than $70 billion per year at the gas pump. The
Bush
Administration has called the Kyoto Protocol, an international
agreement
that would require the U.S. to reduce global warming emissions
to
7% below 1990 levels by 2012, a "fatally flawed" treaty.
The Bush
Administration has opposed mandates to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,
instead relying solely on voluntary action by polluters. In addition,
the current energy bill does not limit global warming emissions.
The Senate is expected to vote for the first time on capping global
warming emissions in mid- to late-October, when it votes on the
Climate Stewardship Act of 2003. This bill,offered by Senators
McCain and Lieberman, would establish a mandatory carbon dioxide
reduction program along with a global warming emission trading
system.
"American consumers
are counting on Congress to reject the dirty,
dangerous energy bill and instead start promoting policies that
reduce
global warming pollution and save consumers money," said
U.S. PIRG Staff
Attorney Katherine Morrison.
U.S. PIRG is the national
office for the state Public Interest Research
Groups. State PIRGs are non-profit, non-partisan public interest
advocacy
organizations active across the country.
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