Global Warming News

Madison, WI—One week after Governor Doyle announced his Global Warming Task Force, WISPIRG released a new analysis of state fossil fuel consumption data finding that global warming pollution in Wisconsin increased by 25% between 1990 and 2004.  The Carbon Boom, released today by WISPIRG, is the first time that 2004 state-by-state data on carbon dioxide emissions have been released.

“Given the risks from global warming, it’s incredibly irresponsible for Wisconsin’s global warming pollution to increase.  It’s like the doctor telling you that you need to go on a serious diet, but instead you go straight for the Ben & Jerry’s,” said WISPIRG State Director Dan Kohler.

WISPIRG’s report comes less than a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a U.N. body charged with assessing the scientific record on global warming, released its consensus report on the current and projected impacts of global warming.  The report warned of increasing droughts, floods, heat waves, water stress, forest fires, and coastal flooding in the United States but concluded that “many impacts can be avoided, reduced, or delayed” by quickly and significantly reducing global warming pollution.

In Wisconsin, global warming presents a major challenge to our environment, including loss of habitat for migratory birds and cold-water fish, increased drought in our farmlands, and damage to spruce, hemlock and fir tree groves in our northern forests.  

“Global warming pollution is skyrocketing in Wisconsin just as scientists are sounding alarms that we must rapidly reduce pollution to protect future generations.  This report is a wake-up call to cap pollution levels now before it is too late,” said Kohler.

Using data compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy, WISPIRG’s new report examines trends in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption between 1990 and 2004, the most recent year for which state-by-state data are available.

Major findings of the report include:

• Wisconsin’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption grew by 21.2 million metric tons to 112.4 million metric tons between 1990 and 2004, an increase of 25%.  
• Nationwide, emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption increased by 18% between 1990 and 2004.  Coal-fired power plants and the transportation sector—especially cars and SUVs—drove this emissions increase.
• In Wisconsin, carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants jumped by 31% between 1990 and 2004, rising from 32.7 million metric tons to 42.9 million metric tons.  
• And, carbon dioxide emissions from burning gasoline (primarily in cars and SUVs) increased by 25% between 1990 and 2004, rising from 23.9 million metric tons to 29.9 million metric tons.  

“The good news is that we have the technology at our fingertips to cut global warming pollution and forge a cleaner, more secure energy future,” said Kohler.  “Wisconsin is uniquely positioned to address global warming pollution and benefit by using homegrown, renewable energy technologies—such as agricultural biofuels, wind and solar power—as well as by using energy more efficiently.”

WISPIRG is calling on the governor, the state legislature and Congress to establish science-based plans that reduce global warming emissions from today’s levels by 20% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050.

On the state level, Gov. Doyle announced in his state of the state address the formation of a global warming task force, and stated that “when it comes to global warming solutions, Wisconsin will lead the way.”  Last week, the Governor formally announced the creation of the task force and the members who will compose it.

“We commend Governor Doyle for forming the global warming task force.  His leadership will be critical to make Wisconsin a leader on global warming with a science-based plan to cut emissions,” said Kohler.  

In addition in Congress, the Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590), introduced by Representative Henry Waxman (CA) in the House, and the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309), introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (VT) and Barbara Boxer (CA) in the Senate, would limit global warming pollution to levels that current science says are needed to prevent the worst effects of global warming.  

“To protect future generations, our leaders must take decisive action to cut global warming pollution.  WISPIRG calls on Senator Kohl to co-sponsor the only bill that does what scientists say we need to do—the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act,” concluded Kohler.  “We commend Senator Feingold for co-sponsoring this bill and Representatives Baldwin, Kind, Moore, and Kagen for co-sponsoring the comprehensive, science-based Safe Climate Act in the US House of Representatives.”