Governor Kaine's New Climate Commission Shows Growing National Momentum for Fighting Climate Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Dan Cronin: 202-572-3354, dcronin@environmentaldefense.org
 
(Washington – December 21, 2007) Virginia Governor Tim Kaine joined a growing list of governors from both parties who are taking steps to deal with climate change by announcing the creation of a Climate Change Commission today.   
 
By establishing the Commission, Governor Kaine is fulfilling one of the recommendations of the Virginia Energy Plan, which was completed in September of this year and sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change by 30 percent by 2025, bringing emissions back to the 2002 levels. This goal will be partially achieved by energy conservation and renewable energy actions identified in the Energy Plan. The Commission on Climate Change will study other emission reduction measures and formulate a plan to fully achieve this goal.
 
“Governor Kaine is giving everyone who cares about our environment an early Christmas present,” said Steve Cochran, national climate campaign director at Environmental Defense. “He is showing real leadership by making Virginia a leader in the fight against climate change.  Now we need Congress to show the same kind of leadership and pass Senator Warner’s Climate Security Act.”
 
The bipartisan Climate Security Act (S. 2191) would reduce global warming pollution by roughly 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 for covered sources, and around 70% by 2050. The bill would achieve these goals by using a market-driven cap and trade system that puts a shrinking cap on carbon emissions while giving companies the flexibility to decide when, where, and how to reduce emissions. Two weeks ago, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed this legislation and the full Senate is expected to consider it next year.
 
“Climate change does not stop at the Virginia border, so we need national action and Congressional leadership if we are going to fight climate change,” concluded Cochran. “Governor Kaine has shown the kind of bipartisan leadership we need to solve this problem; hopefully Congress will follow his example next year.” 
 
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org