After decades of research, the world’s scientists have issued an unequivocal warning that pollution emitted by cars, power plants and other sources is trapping heat within the Earth’s atmosphere, and is causing the Earth’s temperature to rise. Further, they warn that unless we stop emitting millions of tons of global warming pollution each year, we run the risk of irreversibly damaging the climate systems that make life on earth possible.
With little progress on this issue coming out of Washington, D.C., states are making their own plans to stop global warming. Already, more than a dozen states have adopted plans to curb global warming pollution, and are using new technologies like cleaner cars, and renewable energy and conservation to meet their targets.
Environment Illinois participated in the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group, charged by Governor Blagojevich with creating a plan to cut Illinois’s global warming pollution to 1990 levels by 2020, and 60% further by 2050. The Advisory Group came up with a 24-policy agenda that will not only meet this goal, but do so while improving our economy, creating new jobs and saving consumers money. Now we’re working to persuade Illinois lawmakers to adopt this plan as the law of the state.
