| Mayor Wynn: Austin's only climate champion?
The UN's Dec.7-18 summit on climate change, aka Copenhagen, opened with organizers warning diplomats from 193 nations that this could be the last, best chance for a deal to protect the world from calamitous global warming. (1) Why?
In 2007, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a globally appointed body of 2,000+ scientists, released its 4th assessment report on the science and likely outcomes of global warming. Their report made several key points: (2)
1. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.
2. World temperatures could rise by btwn 2.0-11.5°F during the 21st century.
3. A rise of 5°F, relative to 1980-1999 temperatures, suggests a 40%-70% extinction of all species assessed by the IPCC.
Later that year, Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC, stated -- "If there's no action before 2012, that's too late. What we do in the next two or three years determines our future. This is our defining moment." (3)
That was 2007. Mr. Pachauri was responding to worldwide criticism -- that his team of 2,000+ scientists were too soft in their analysis. Austin responded positively to a challenge that seemed threaten not just humanity (in this century) but all biology everywhere. City Council unanimously approved Mayor Wynn's resolution for a world-leading "Austin Climate Protection Program" -- the centerpiece of which is, "to make Austin the leading city in the nation in the fight against climate change." (4)
But two years later Austin still gets 1/3rd of its electricity from a coal plant that happens to be the 8th worst polluter in the state (5), local leadership is reluctant to take full ownership of the urgency of this moment, and the community seems to have forgotten this is "our defining moment."
What can be done? Is the crisis real? How much time do we have to act?
Who should lead?
Please leave your comments below. Thank you.
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