President Obama stood up for science in his 2014 State of the Union address, declaring before Congress and the nation that “the debate is over. Climate change is a fact.” But the president missed the mark on energy by glossing over the climate risks of an overreliance on natural gas.
Staying on our current path would lead to a future powered predominantly by natural gas. This would continue to heat up our planet as the amount of heat-trapping emissions released into the atmosphere by power plants will barely change between today and 2050. To effectively address global warming, we must transition to a truly low-carbon economy by ramping up renewable energy and energy efficiency.
We need to make sure President Obama and his administration fully acknowledge and act on the basis of the science on natural gas and climate change. Sign our petition and make sure they get the facts: switching from coal to natural gas offers some near-term economic and air quality benefits, but it is still a fossil fuel – and burning natural gas releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A natural gas power plant built today will continue to emit carbon into the atmosphere for several decades. While natural gas could play a modest role in the transition to a clean energy economy, a natural gas dominated power system is not sufficient to meet U.S. climate goals. Basing our actions on the facts is especially important right now as the administration moves forward on developing the nation’s first ever carbon standards for power plants.
Dear President Barack Obama, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz,
Like you, I look forward to that day when we can look our children and grandchildren in the eye and know that we did our best to protect them from the consequences of global warming. However, I am concerned about the missed opportunity to raise awareness about the climate risks of an overreliance on natural gas during the recent State of the Union address.
As with all fossil fuels, burning natural gas produces heat-trapping carbon emissions. Staying on our current path to a power system dominated by natural gas would continue to heat up the planet, according to recent analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (
ucsusa.org/naturalgasclimaterisks).
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar — plus investments in energy efficiency that reduce overall electricity demand — offers the best, quickest, and most cost-effective strategy ready to reduce global warming emissions and move the country toward a clean, healthy, and sustainable energy future.
I urge you and your administration to consider these facts as you continue to develop the nation’s first ever carbon standards for power plans and other key components of your Climate Action Plan. After all, a natural gas power plant built today will continue to emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for several decades—heat trapping gases that will continue warm the planet our children inherit.
[Your comments will go here]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
