When it comes to global
warming, there’s a lot at stake for North Carolina
Left unchecked, global warming will have serious impacts on North
Carolina’s natural environment, its economy, and its
and way of life.
The state’s over 3,000 miles of tidally-influenced coastline
make it the third-most vulnerable state to sea level rise.[1] Eighty percent of the state’s most popular
beaches could erode completely before the end of the century, limiting
recreational opportunities and harming North Carolina’s
tourist economy.[2]
What’s more, scientists predict higher temperatures will
bring longer periods of drought, punctuated by more intense hurricanes and
heavy rains. Warmer temperatures will
increase smog in metropolitan areas already beleaguered by air pollution. And the incidence of insect-borne disease may
rise also, as mosquito populations thrive in warm, wet weather.[3]
Science is clear on the need
for immediate, bold action
Many scientists and policy-makers recognize a 2°C increase
in global average temperatures over pre-industrial levels as a rough limit
beyond which large-scale, dangerous impacts of global warming would become
unavoidable.[4] But with
temperatures already up by 0.74°C, aggressive action is needed now to cut the
pollutants that are warming the planet.[5]
To avoid catastrophic effects, scientists say that rising
global warming emissions should peak no later than 2015, and decline by 80 percent or more below 2000 levels by 2050.[6]
The transportation challenge
Transportation is the second largest source of global
warming pollution in North Carolina.[7] Passenger vehicles—cars, pickups and SUV’s—alone
contribute to 25% of the state’s global warming pollution,[8]
and with more people driving more miles, the problem is only getting worse. In fact, vehicle travel miles have increased
nearly 30 percent in the last ten years,[9]
and will increase another 40 percent by 2020 if those same rates continue.
Clean Cars can slash global
warming pollution
Though the nation as a whole has failed to take any
meaningful action to cut global warming pollution, the states are already
leading the way, especially when it comes to pollution from the transportation
sector. North
Carolina can join them.
The nation’s Clean Air Act gives states two options for
control of automobile emissions: states may comply with federal standards, or
adopt more protective standards—known as the Clean Cars Program. Unlike the federal standards, the Clean Cars
Program will reduce global warming pollution by 34 percent from cars and the
lightest passenger trucks by 2016 and by 25 percent from heavier passenger
trucks.
Already, 13 states have adopted the Clean Cars Program, and several
more have pledged to do so.
The Clean Cars Program would cut global warming pollution by
more than 3 million tons annually in North Carolina, and virtually stabilize
emissions from the transportation sector—an essential first step towards making
the steep reductions necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
Clean cars: saving consumers money, enhancing vehicle
choice
With gas prices at record highs, consumers are eager for
more fuel-efficient vehicles that don’t sacrifice safety, performance, or
style. The Clean Cars Program ensures
all the same car and SUV models that Tar Heels are accustomed to—those models
just come in more efficient form. By
2016, consumers can save $20 or more per month on gasoline, even while they are
paying off the cost of the car. After
the loan is paid off, they’ll save $40 or more per month.
The Clean Cars program ensures that all cars are more
efficient and less polluting. It also
sends a message to the sluggish auto industry: provide more choices in clean,
advanced-technology cars.
