Channing Jones
Environment Rhode Island
Providence, RI – In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Winter Storm Nemo, and record June rainfall in the Northeast, Pres. Obama has announced he will unveil a climate action plan on Tuesday designed to cut the carbon pollution fueling global warming and advance clean energy solutions. Environment Rhode Island and many other organizations applauded the announcement.
“Rhode Island is already paying a price as global warming fuels more damaging storms, sea level rise, and ocean acidification,” said Channing Jones, Program Associate with Environment Rhode Island. “Protecting our children from even more devastating consequences demands bold leadership. President Obama realizes this and we hope his plan will truly begin to safeguard our children’s future.”
One aspect of the plan that Environment Rhode Island and others will be watching closely is how it addresses carbon pollution from power plants. Despite being the largest sources of the carbon pollution fueling global warming, power plants have no federal limits on the amount of carbon pollution they can emit. The president’s plan could take a pivotal step toward changing that.
“President Obama’s climate plan should clean up the largest global warming polluters and advance clean energy solutions, to help protect Rhode Islanders and future generations from more severe weather and other consequences of global warming,” said Jones. “In addition to cleaning up carbon pollution from power plants, we will look for the president’s plan to advance energy efficiency measures and expand renewable energy – two critical steps toward getting the nation on track to a truly clean energy future.”
Residents of Rhode Island have voiced support for Pres. Obama’s action, and more than 3.2 million Americans submitted public comments last year in support of the president setting limits on carbon pollution from power plants.
Left unchecked, global warming is likely to result in everything from more intense storms to more unhealthy air days in Rhode Island. Scientists have warned that time is short to make the necessary cuts in carbon pollution to protect future generations from the worst consequences of global warming.
Cities and states across the country have been successfully implementing climate action plans and renewable energy solutions, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that caps global warming pollution from powerplants in the Northeast. These programs have helped cut carbon pollution, and paved the way for Tuesday’s plan for federal action from Pres. Obama.
“Environment Rhode Island and our thousands of members and supporters stand ready to assist the president in taking ambitious steps to cut global warming pollution,” concluded Jones.