The Heat is On Congress and State
Officials to Adopt Global Warming Solutions
Read the Report.
CHICAGO—The average
temperature in Chicago
was 3°F above average in 2006, according to a new national report released
today by Environment Illinois. Environment
Illinois said
this warmer-than-normal weather is indicative of what we can expect with
continued global warming.
“Across
the board, this data shows that it’s getting hotter here in Chicago, and throughout the nation,” said
Environment Illinois Director Rebecca Stanfield. “The long-term forecast is for more of the
same unless we quickly and significantly reduce global warming pollution from
power plants and passenger vehicles,” she continued.
According
to the National Climatic Data
Center, the 2006 summer
and 2006 overall were the second warmest on record for the lower 48 states. 2007 is on track to be the second warmest
year on record globally.
To
examine recent temperature patterns in the United
States, the report authors compared temperature data for
the years 2000-2006 from 255 weather stations located in all 50 states and Washington, DC
with temperatures averaged over the 30 years spanning 1971-2000, or what
scientists call the “normal” temperature.
Key
findings for Illinois
include:
•
In
2006, the average temperature was 3°F above normal in Chicago.
Nationally, the average 2006 temperature was at least 0.5°F above normal
at 87% of the locations studied.
•
Chicago experienced average minimum
temperatures — the lowest temperatures recorded on a given day, usually at
night — of 3.4°F above normal in 2006. Warmer
nighttime temperatures exacerbate the public health effects of heat waves,
since people need cooler nighttime temperatures to recover from excessive heat
exposure during the day.
•
Chicago’s above-average temperatures in
2006 are part of a broader warming trend since 2000. Between 2000 and 2006, the average
temperature was 1.6°F above the 30-year average in Chicago.
Nationally, the average temperature during this seven year period was at
least 0.5°F above normal at 87% of the locations studied.
In
April 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that North America could experience significant water stress,
forest fires, and “an increased number, intensity, and duration of heat waves”
as temperatures continue to rise.
“Scientists
are sounding alarms about the impacts of continued global warming,” stated
Stanfield. “The good news is that those
same scientists say we can avoid the worst effects of global warming by taking
bold action now to reduce global warming pollution,” she continued.
To avoid
the worst consequences of global warming, the United States must halt increases
in global warming emissions now, cut emissions by at least 15-20% by 2020, and
slash emissions by at least 80% by 2050.
“We already
have the technology at our fingertips to cut global warming pollution and forge
a cleaner, more secure energy future,” said.
The United States and Illinois could substantially reduce its
global warming pollution by using existing technologies to make power plants,
businesses, homes, and cars more efficient and generate more electricity from
clean, renewable sources, such as wind and solar power.
Congress
is poised to consider global warming legislation this fall. The Safe Climate Act in the U.S. House and
the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act in the U.S. Senate are the only
bills that would reduce pollution to levels that scientists say are needed to
prevent the worst effects of global warming.
“The heat
is on Congress to take decisive action to curb global warming,” stated Stanfield. “Both Illinois Senators are supporting the
Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act in the U.S. Senate, and we commend
them,” said Stanfield. “In the House of
Representatives, we applaud Congressmen Emanuel, Guiterrez, Hare, Jackson and Davis
and Congresswoman Schakowsky for their commitment to the Safe Climate Act. However, we are concerned that we have not
yet seen that commitment from Congressmen Lipinski, Roskam, Kirk, Rush or
Johnson, or from Congresswoman Bean.”
Environment
Illinois is
also challenging state lawmakers to adopt global warming solutions, including
pollution standards for automobiles and a statewide cap on global warming
pollution. Environment Illinois staff and volunteers kicked off a
new campaign today to get Chicagoans involved in the issue by contacting their
state legislators.
“More
than a dozen states have already acted to limit global warming pollution from
cars and power plants. It’s time for Illinois to do the
same,” said Stanfield
Environment Illinois is a statewide,
citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.
