Join us in urging Congressman Gene Green to Strengthen the Climate Bill
A very important climate bill known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was recently introduced in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Houston Congressman Gene Green is a member of that committee and his support then is critical to the creation of strong global warming legislation.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will soon start marking up the bill, and we need to take action NOW to ensure that this bill is as strong as possible.
Harris County happens to be the leading emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation, so we have a particular responsibility as Houstonians to do what we can to limit our contribution to climate change.
Join us at the May 11 "For Our Future" event and press conference at Gene Green’s office at 12 pm, noon. This will not be a protest. This is an effort to show that there is widespread and diverse support for action on climate change in Houston. There will be religious, community and labor leaders, and teachers and students, scientists, health professionals, and business owners, city officials and host of other individuals from various professional backgrounds. We will highlight the necessity of action on climate change and the benefits of doing so.
When: Monday, May 11, 2009 12:00 PM Noon
Where: Congressman Gene Green's Office: 11811 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77029. Map
Background:
We can not delay any longer – We owe it to our children, grandchildren and the rest of humanity
The Nobel prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - a body of more than 2500 renowned scientists from around the world, half of whom are Americans - recommends that we reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 35-50% below current levels by 2020. The IPCC warn that even if we cut our emissions by at least 35%, humanity will still only have a 50/50 chance of stabilizing average global temperatures and averting cataclysmic climate change.
Even if we institute the IPCC recommendations, scientists report that if temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, Africa will most likely lose half of its food production by 2020 and the Himalayan glaciers will most likely melt by 2035 (and perhaps earlier) resulting in over 40% of the world’s people losing half their water supply. In Texas we face larger hurricanes, greater flooding, the loss of the barrier islands, droughts and perhaps the loss of much of our water. Just recently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that if we stopped emitting GHG today, there are currently enough emissions present in the atmosphere, that the climatic changes underway are largely irreversible for at least the following 1,000 years.
In December 2009, the UN will sign an agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocols. The quality of the UN agreement will be largely determined by the US bill, as we contribute a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while only constituting 3% of the world’s population. Together the bill and agreement will determine if we can stop the rise of emissions before cataclysmic climate change sets in.
Sincerely,
Charles Stillman
Houston Outreach Coordinator
Texas Climate Emergency Campaign
E: charlestexasclimate@gmail.com
P: 713 540-0406
W: http://www.texasclimateemergency.org
The Texas Climate Emergency Campaign (TCEC) is the Texas affiliate of 1Sky, an organization which includes Van Jones, Director of Obama’s Green Jobs program, on its board and Dr. James Hansen of NASA, as the organization’s science advisor. The job of the TCEC is to educate & mobilize community leaders & organizations to work together for a science based solution to climate change.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will soon start marking up the bill, and we need to take action NOW to ensure that this bill is as strong as possible.
Harris County happens to be the leading emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation, so we have a particular responsibility as Houstonians to do what we can to limit our contribution to climate change.
Join us at the May 11 "For Our Future" event and press conference at Gene Green’s office at 12 pm, noon. This will not be a protest. This is an effort to show that there is widespread and diverse support for action on climate change in Houston. There will be religious, community and labor leaders, and teachers and students, scientists, health professionals, and business owners, city officials and host of other individuals from various professional backgrounds. We will highlight the necessity of action on climate change and the benefits of doing so.
When: Monday, May 11, 2009 12:00 PM Noon
Where: Congressman Gene Green's Office: 11811 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77029. Map
Background:
We can not delay any longer – We owe it to our children, grandchildren and the rest of humanity
The Nobel prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - a body of more than 2500 renowned scientists from around the world, half of whom are Americans - recommends that we reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 35-50% below current levels by 2020. The IPCC warn that even if we cut our emissions by at least 35%, humanity will still only have a 50/50 chance of stabilizing average global temperatures and averting cataclysmic climate change.
Even if we institute the IPCC recommendations, scientists report that if temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, Africa will most likely lose half of its food production by 2020 and the Himalayan glaciers will most likely melt by 2035 (and perhaps earlier) resulting in over 40% of the world’s people losing half their water supply. In Texas we face larger hurricanes, greater flooding, the loss of the barrier islands, droughts and perhaps the loss of much of our water. Just recently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that if we stopped emitting GHG today, there are currently enough emissions present in the atmosphere, that the climatic changes underway are largely irreversible for at least the following 1,000 years.
In December 2009, the UN will sign an agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocols. The quality of the UN agreement will be largely determined by the US bill, as we contribute a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while only constituting 3% of the world’s population. Together the bill and agreement will determine if we can stop the rise of emissions before cataclysmic climate change sets in.
Sincerely,
Charles Stillman
Houston Outreach Coordinator
Texas Climate Emergency Campaign
E: charlestexasclimate@gmail.com
P: 713 540-0406
W: http://www.texasclimateemergency.org
The Texas Climate Emergency Campaign (TCEC) is the Texas affiliate of 1Sky, an organization which includes Van Jones, Director of Obama’s Green Jobs program, on its board and Dr. James Hansen of NASA, as the organization’s science advisor. The job of the TCEC is to educate & mobilize community leaders & organizations to work together for a science based solution to climate change.
- Attachments:
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Letter to Gene Green.doc, 37 KB
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