Op-Eds :: April 12, 2007

Cleaner Environment, Growth Can Co-Exist [Gordon]

by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN)

Last week, the Supreme Court became the latest voice in a choir affirming a scientific consensus that our climate is changing, the planet is warming and the government has a responsibility to act.

The Supreme Court listened to the arguments and decided that the dangers of climate change are well-established and the failure to act is unacceptable.

President Reagan used to say that facts are stubborn things. For far too long, government bureaucrats ignored the facts – more specifically, the science – establishing that we have a problem and the problem is getting worse. Moreover, the science tells us we probably have ourselves to blame. Earlier this year, a respected international panel composed of 113 nations unanimously confirmed this finding. Now, they are telling us of serious effects this could have on our economies, our communities and our families.

If we do not act to stem the rise in temperature, our children will suffer breathing problems at an increasingly alarming rate, our agricultural crops will be destroyed by drought and flood, our sportsmen will continue to see migratory bird and fish populations dwindle, and our children’s ball games will be held at night or indoors.

The sentiment for change is strong. Leaders of American industry such as General Electric and Wal-Mart are supporting a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Leading electric utilities have embraced the need for action to reduce emissions and invest in new clean technologies. TVA has taken steps to make their plants more efficient. And though these are good, first steps toward new policies, they are only the beginning.

Change in Strategy

The science is clear. Now, new policies are needed. The time has come for a change in strategy. That is why I have authored legislation to create a nimble, focused entity at the Energy Department that brings together educational institutions, private-sector and national laboratories to develop and commercialize cutting-edge, clean energy technologies.

Innovation is the key to a more secure and clean energy future. Now is the time to come together and find common-sense solutions to the problem. We must embrace a balanced approach that protects the public health, saves our fragile ecosystems, and continues to allow our economy to grow. It is time we put our American spirit of innovation and ingenuity to work. Developing new technologies must not only be in the form of clean sources of energy, but must also help us to retrofit our existing energy infrastructure.

If we do this right, we will not only create good jobs for American workers and a secure energy infrastructure for the country, but we can also develop an exportable energy technology industry.

Ignoring the science of climate change is no longer reasonable or an option. We need to think beyond where we are today and shift this debate from problems to solutions. Ignoring the facts means ignoring the potential to improve our children’s future, and I cannot sit still and let that happen.