What must be done to head off the projected impacts of climate change?
Greenhouse gas emissions must be capped and reduced. Further delays in acting would subject the United States to unacceptable risks. A joint statement published in 2009 by the national science academies of the United States and 12 other large nations stated, “The need for urgent action to address climate change is now indisputable.” (Click here to download and read the full statement.) The most important step that must be taken is to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions, either through a cap-and-trade program or a carbon tax. Putting a price on carbon would signal energy markets that there is a cost to disposing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and provide an incentive to diversify our energy choices away from excessive dependence on fossil fuels. Low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels include greater energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and nuclear power. Expanding use of low-carbon energy technologies will have important additional benefits – achieving greater energ
Greenhouse gas emissions must be capped and reduced. Further delays in acting would subject the United States to unacceptable risks. A joint statement published in 2009 by the national science academies of the United States and 12 other large nations stated, “The need for urgent action to address climate change is now indisputable.” (Click here to download and read the full statement.) The most important step that must be taken is to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions, through a statutory limit, a carbon tax, or a mix of those alternatives. Putting a price on carbon would signal energy markets that there is a cost to disposing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and provide an incentive to diversify our energy choices away from excessive dependence on fossil fuels. Low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels include greater energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and nuclear power. Expanding use of low-carbon energy technologies will have important additional benefits – achiev
