Government Relations and Policy
What does the Spill have to do with a Climate Bill?
The Deepwater Horizon spill underscores the dangers of America’s reliance on dirty, dangerous fossil fuels. If we are to create a future without more devastating oil disasters we need to quickly move America towards energy sources that never spill and instead rely on the sun, wind, water and greater efficiency to power our lives.
Opponents of climate and clean energy legislation argue that linking the BP oil disaster to larger questions about our nation’s energy choices constitutes “exploiting” a national tragedy. Nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, repeated failure to recognize these links and learn our lessons is precisely what has led to environmental calamities in the gulf and elsewhere. Only by seeing these connections and acting before the next disaster strikes can we set our country on a course that is better for our environment, our economy, our security – and ultimately better for our children and grandchildren.
Unacceptable Risks
The blowout in the Gulf and the looming threat hurricanes pose for response efforts remind us that we are taking much greater risks to obtain energy as demand for fossil fuels grows and as supplies decline.
- Local and regional risks. We are exploring, extracting, transporting and refining fossil fuels under increasingly risky circumstances. This unnecessarily jeopardizes oil, gas and coal industry workers, nearby communities, vital ecosystems and wildlife, and other economic interests.
- National and global risks. The disaster in the gulf shows that we are taking enormous risks with consequences that we cannot readily control or reverse. The stakes are high. Our troops see the risk of our foreign oil dependence every day. And as we disrupt the climate with greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, we measurably increase the risk of more extreme heat waves, flooding rains, droughts, and hurricanes.
The Way Forward
We can’t afford to gamble what we cannot afford to lose. We have more attractive alternatives. We must:
- Cut our dependence on dirty, dangerous fossil fuels. We cannot drill or mine our way to true energy security. But we can get there by improving energy efficiency and shifting to renewable energy sources that don’t pollute, never run out and are available right here at home.
- Prepare for the impacts of climate disruption. We are already beginning to feel the impacts of climate change and they will continue to escalate. Both offshore and along the coast, the Gulf must prepare for more intense hurricanes and for rising seas, as well as flooding rains and higher temperatures. Every other region of the United States and the world will need to similarly prepare for a range of likely impacts.
Now back to that climate and clean energy bill before the Senate right now. A strong bill would take these essential steps to slow climate change and improve our national preparedness – while advancing the economy, creating good American jobs and enhancing our national security. And it will do all that while also helping to create a future where our children won’t need to worry about dangerous, dirty oil gushing for months from a hole a mile under the sea.
So think and learn about the connections between the Spill and the Bill. You’ll see how important it is to pass a strong climate bill this year that begins to break our fossil fuel addiction and makes polluters pay.
To take action and send a message to your Senators, please visit the Act for Our Future section of our Web site
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