Letter to the Editor from Roger L. Jones, State Director, The Nature Conservancy, Delaware Chapter

Last week, the Lieberman-Warner climate change bill was reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on an 11-8 vote. I applaud and thank Senator Thomas R. Carper for casting a “YES” vote to move the bill (S. 2191-- the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act) out of Committee and on to full Senate discussion. The Nature Conservancy has characterized this vote as a watershed moment – the first time a comprehensive climate cap-and-trade bill has been sent to the Senate floor with the endorsement of a committee.

Delawareans need to understand and appreciate the significance of global warming, as it will have significant future implications for our state. Implicit in the bill and in the vote to move it out of committee is the recognition that reducing the negative effects of climate change is good for the environment and good for business.

The Lieberman-Warner bill offers a strong starting point for action on reducing U.S. carbon emissions. The bill’s comprehensive approach recognizes the importance of addressing all major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and the role that forest conservation and restoration can play in combating climate change. The bill also clearly recognizes the dramatic impact climate change will have on plants, wildlife and natural areas and the long term importance of conserving, protecting and managing natural systems, such as coastal wetlands, that can buffer and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and protect the lands and waters that plants, animals and people need to survive. Thus we are especially heartened by the strong commitment to conservation and wildlife and habitat protection reflected in the bill, in particular its commitment to fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the principal source of land acquisition funding for national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges and other public lands. In addition, the cap-and-trade approach called for in Lieberman-Warner provides the greatest assurance that emissions will be reduced in a way that is likely to be the most cost-effective way to address climate change. The bill’s inclusion of forest carbon is another important way to keep the costs down and enable emissions targets to be met. Assuring carbon market access for international activities to reduce deforestation will also be important.

Along with my Conservancy colleagues throughout the country, I regard last week’s vote to move S. 2191 to the Senate floor, as a signal that momentum is continuing to build in the U.S. to pass comprehensive climate legislation. I urge Delawareans and Delaware’s Congressional delegation to work together to sustain this momentum, to influence other national leaders and ultimately to effect permanent and positive climate change legislation.