By Rep. Bart Gordon
In 1979, the first international conference on climate change speculated that human activity might lead to significant changes in the Earth's climate. Now, that's no longer speculation. It's a proven fact that the Earth is getting warmer – and we may only have ourselves to blame.
Forward thinkers, such as my predecessor in Congress, have long sounded the alarm about climate change. Al Gore's dedication has brought much-needed attention to this issue. Yet some people remain unconvinced, choosing instead to believe that rises in Earth's temperatures are just cyclical or that scientists are simply validating one another's theories.
Now, those naysayers aren't left with a leg to stand on. On Feb. 2, a group of expert scientists representing 113 countries, and their governments around the world, including the United States, released a report that concludes with all scientific certainty that global warming is happening and the warming is almost undoubtedly caused by human activities. This group, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has provided a diagnosis of the problem and a prognosis for our planet's health. To me, this report ends the debate over whether climate change is happening.
Impact on Tennessee
Hot weather is nothing new to Tennesseans, but are we really ready for longer, hotter summers and even more volatile tornadoes? Scientists predict that climate change will lead to more extreme floods and droughts, costing Tennesseans millions of dollars in property damage, destroyed crops and loss of life.
In addition, loss of wildlife and habitat from climate change could severely impact our tourism industry. In 2001, nearly 3 million people spent more than $1 billion to hunt, fish and hike in Tennessee. Those dollars could disappear.
Moreover, warmer temperatures lead to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution, a leading cause of respiratory problems, especially for our children and elderly. Several Middle Tennessee counties are already out of compliance with federal ozone regulations, and climate change creates the potential for more asthma, more allergy symptoms and a greater occurrence of respiratory illness.
On Feb. 8, as chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee, I held the first congressional hearing to explore the ramifications of the latest IPCC report. The Committee will continue to do our part to see that science and cutting-edge research provide the information we need to understand and respond to climate change, response that will not be at the expense of jobs or our economy.
As a country and a world, we face a big challenge. Congress must explore ways to reduce emissions, adapt to coming changes, and mitigate the negative effects of a changing climate. As chairman, I will direct my committee to encourage the improvement of existing technologies and to develop new technologies that reduce emissions, while making our economy and society more energy-efficient.
Our climate is changing. The science is undeniable. We may not be able to reverse this trend overnight, but we must begin in earnest to address this serious issue.
