Global Warming News

Trenton, NJ—Environment New Jersey joined former Governor Jim Florio, Senator

Barbara Buono and a host of local elected officials, businesses, and organizations

from across the state to highlight the breadth and depth of the Global Warming

Solutions Coalition.  The coalition, representing 140 members, delivered a letter to

Governor Corzine urging him to pledge to reduce New Jersey’s global warming

emissions by 70 percent below current levels by 2050 and to work with the state

legislature to pass the Global Warming Response Act (A3301/S2114), requiring

mandatory reductions of the state’s emissions to below 1990 levels by 2020. 

“Governor Corzine should make firm and far-reaching commitments, based on

current science, to reduce New Jersey’s global warming emissions. He has an

opportunity to show New Jersey and the nation that tackling global warming is his

top priority,” said Suzanne Leta Liou, Environment New Jersey’s Global Warming

and Clean Energy Advocate. 

“The reduction of greenhouse gases is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do, environmentally and economically,” said former Governor Jim Florio.

“Confronting climate change will ultimately require national and international

leadership.  But, in the absence of leadership from the Bush Administration, states and

regions have a critical role to play in developing initiatives that can serve as a model

for federal action.  Additionally, due to their jurisdiction over electric generation,

agriculture, and land use, it is important for state’s to recognize the major role they

must assume if we are to effectively ward off climate change and its dangerous

consequences,” said Senator Barbara Buono (D-18), the Prime Sponsor of the Global

Warming Response Act in the state senate.The prime sponsor in the assembly is

Assemblywoman and Deputy Speaker Linda Stender (D-22). 

“New Jersey should take the lead in addressing global warming by setting a new and more stringent standard for greenhouse gas emissions levels, just as we did in enacting the California Car standards.  I am optimistic that New Jersey's proactive stance will encourage our neighboring states -- and hopefully the rest of the country -- to think globally but act locally when it comes to protecting and improving the environment,” said Senator Tom Kean, Jr. (R-21), co-sponsor of the Global Warming Response Act. 

“In order to have measurable impact on global warming, government must take the lead to educate, implement sound environmental policy and test and integrate energy efficient technology.  With the financial and policy support of the state, the counties of New Jersey can play a major role,” said Freeholder Jim Polos of Middlesex County. 

“We need to apply that great tradition of American self-reliance to our energy needs.  We need to invest in domestic, renewable sources of energy and end our dependence on foreign oil.  Our addition to petroleum comes at too heavy a price. We shouldn't be entrusting our energy needs to countries like Iraq and Venezuela when, instead, we could be turning to our farmers, engineers, and trade workers to provide us with renewable sources of energy,” said Mayor Glen Gilmore of Hamilton Township.

The coalition letter to Governor Corzine is signed by 22 scientists and academics,

including several of the country’s leading global warming scientists like James

Hansen, the Director and Lead Climate Scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for

Space Science.  It is also signed by 17 elected officials and environmental

commissioners, 9 religious organizations, 30 environmental and public interest

organizations, 12 parent/teacher organizations and 42 local businesses.  To read the

coalition letter, go to: 

http://www.environmentnewjersey.org/action/global-warming/letter

“Cooperation among New Jersey government agencies, the legislature and the Governor’s office can help continue and expand New Jersey’s leadership role in solving the climate change crisis, both here in the state, across the region and the globe.  This will attract the best and brightest to study, work and live in New Jersey, and expand our financial well-being.” John Cusack, Executive Director of the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability. 

"The battle against global warming plays out every day in the land use decisions we make at the most local level. Only by focusing development in transit-accessible centers can we begin to limit the energy use and emissions that are threatening our quality of life," said Thomas G. Dallessio, Vice President and New Jersey Director of Regional Plan Association, the nation’s oldest independent planning organization.

In addition to delivering the coalition letter, Environment New Jersey delivered 2,300

petition signatures to Governor Corzine from New Jerseyans across the state.  These

petition signatures are in addition to the 5,500 signatures delivered this summer.

Environment New Jersey is also airing radio ads on NJ 101.5 this week about the

Global Warming Solutions campaign, asking listeners to call Governor Corzine. To

listen to the radio ad, go to:

http://www.environmentnewjersey.org/html/ENJ_radio_ad.mp3

"Speaking as a life-long climate change and public health activist, a member of the solar industry in New Jersey, and most important, the mother of two young children, I look to our Governor.  Governor Corzine understands the linkage between a healthy economy and responsible energy policy and in fact has made the development of a robust and sustainable solar industry an economic development priority.  Today we call upon him to continue down this path and embrace a progressive and aggressive reduction of our global warming emissions.  The citizens of this State are looking for bold leadership and the time for that leadership is now,” said Pam Frank, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Sun Farm Network. 

“We all have to do our part in this fight to solve global warming.  New Jerseyans should be saying “In My Backyard” for renewable energy,” said Mike Mercurio, President of Island Wind. 

“A meaningful reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey is critical to the survival of our unique plant and animal communities, which support our high quality of life and the economic prosperity of communities across the state,” said Joanna Wolaver, Conservation Project Coordinator, New Jersey Audubon Society.

“Global Warming is the most important environmental facing us today, and New Jersey can set a National model with Governor Corzine's leadership.  The states have to lead since the Bush administration has not,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. 

In the past few months, GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition, has organized screenings of the film “An Inconvenient Truth” at 116 houses of worship across New Jersey.  Over 500 people of faith have signed letters asking the Governor to make a commitment to reduce New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions 70% by the year 2050; these same people have each made commitments to reduce their own carbon footprint – through actions such as installing compact fluorescent bulbs, turning thermostats down, purchasing renewable energy, and committing to more energy efficient transportation.  The faith community is increasingly active and personally committed, and united in calling for policies that reflect a response that is proportional to the magnitude of the threat global warming poses.

“Global warming is one of the most pressing moral issues of our time,” said the Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director of GreenFaith.  “We need to take action now to protect the earth for future generations.”

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