Global Warming Reports
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Executive Summary
Governor Bill Ritter recently announced a goal of reducing Colorado’s global
warming pollution by 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and by 80 percent by
2050. Colorado
has already taken some initial steps toward cutting global warming pollution by
increasing our use of renewable resources such as wind and solar power.
Global warming poses significant challenges for Colorado and the need
for additional action to significantly cut pollution is urgent. Thankfully,
many technology and policy tools exist that could enable Colorado to further cut its emissions of global
warming pollutants within the next two decades, while moving the state toward a clean, secure
energy future.
This report details 16 policy strategies that will help us
achieve the 2020 goal outlined by Governor Ritter. These policies, in addition
to several steps already taken, would cut Colorado’s emissions of carbon dioxide—the
leading greenhouse gas—to 23 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, which is 39
percent below projected levels. Adoption of these 16 strategies would achieve real
progress in meeting the Governor’s challenge to make Colorado a leader in reducing global warming
pollution.
Global warming is real and is happening now.
- Average temperatures worldwide have increased by
1.3° Fahrenheit (F) over the last century, and temperatures in the last half of
the 20th century were likely the highest in at least the last 1,300 years. Sea
level is rising, ice and snow cover are decreasing, and hurricane intensity has
increased.
- Most of the global warming that has occurred is
due to human activities—particularly the burning of fossil fuels. Fossil fuel
consumption releases carbon dioxide, which traps radiation from the sun near
the earth’s surface. Since 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere has increased by 35 percent—leaving the concentration of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere higher than it has been in the last 650,000 years.
- Should emissions of global warming pollutants
continue to increase, global average temperatures could increase by another 2°
to 11.5° F by the end of this century, bringing with them increases in sea
levels, changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent heat waves, and shifts
in the distribution of species around the globe.
Global warming poses a serious threat to Colorado’s economy and
way of life.
- Colorado
is vulnerable to changes in precipitation and temperature that could
damage the economy by harming outdoor-based tourism and reducing agricultural
output.
- Water supplies would also be threatened: warmer
temperatures could cause precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow,
decreasing the size of the snowpack that supplies much of Colorado’s water, and also causing the snow
to melt earlier.
Immediate action is needed to prevent the worst impacts of
global warming. Scientists tell us that, if the world acts quickly and
aggressively to reduce global warming emissions, there is a much greater chance
of staving off the worst impacts of global warming. The world will need to halt
the growth of global warming pollution in this decade, begin reducing emissions
soon, and slash emissions by more than half by 2050. Because the U.S. is one of
the world’s largest global warming polluters, the degree of emission reductions
required here will be greater than in less developed countries.
By adopting an aggressive target for reducing global warming
pollution and setting in motion the changes that will meet that target, Colorado can set an
example for the rest of the nation while reducing its own significant
contribution to global warming.
Emissions of carbon dioxide are on the rise in Colorado.
- Between 1990 and 2004, Colorado’s emissions of carbon dioxide from energy
use increased by 37 percent. Electricity generation is the biggest source of
carbon dioxide pollution in the state (47 percent), followed by transportation
(27 percent), and the direct use of fossil fuels in industry (13 percent),
homes (8 percent), and businesses (5 percent).
- Colorado
is on a path that will lead to significant increases in global warming emissions
over the next several decades. According to a projection based on data from the
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Colorado’s emissions of carbon dioxide from
energy use could increase by 28 percent over 2004 levels by 2020, with
increases in emissions from electricity generation responsible for the bulk of
emissions growth.
Colorado
has already committed to several actions that will curb the growth of carbon
dioxide emissions by 2020.
- In 2004, Colorado
voters adopted a renewable electricity standard (RES) that required a gradual
increase in the amount of renewable energy supplied to Colorado electricity consumers. The success
of that law prompted the state to raise its renewable electricity standard
again this year. By 2020, investor-owned utilities must procure 20 percent of
the electricity they sell from renewable energy sources.
- Recently adopted energy efficiency requirements
will help curb emissions from natural gas and electricity use.
- Separate requirements for state government agencies
will cut emissions from buildings and vehicles.
- The state’s other major commitment that will
reduce global warming pollution is to increase and improve transit service in
the Denver
region through the $4.7 billion FasTracks project. Once the project is complete
in 2017, area residents will have more alternatives to driving.
Colorado
could further reduce its contribution to global warming by adopting 16 key
policy strategies. The following policies can help the state reduce carbon dioxide
emissions from energy use.
1. Clean
Cars Program. The Clean Cars Program will impose limits on vehicle carbon
dioxide emissions and offer Coloradans a greater selection of hybrid-electric
vehicles.
2. Energy-saving
replacement tires. By requiring the sale of energy-saving replacement
tires, Colorado
can improve vehicle efficiency without negatively affecting safety.
3. Mileage-based
automobile insurance. Require automobile insurers to offer insurance with
rates based on the amount traveled. This will reward those who drive less and
potentially reduce accidents.
4. Reduce
the number of automobile commutes. Large employers should be required to
develop programs to discourage single-passenger commuting and provide employees
with more transportation choices.
5. Reduce
the growth in vehicle miles traveled. FasTracks is a strong first step at
reducing how much Coloradans drive, but Colorado
will need to do more. Measures to reduce sprawling development and encourage
the use of transit and other transportation alternatives could reduce the
growth in vehicle miles traveled by cars and light trucks on Colorado’s highways.
6. A
clean fuels standard. A portion of motor fuel sold in Colorado should come from sources with lower
lifecycle emissions than gasoline or diesel to reduce the carbon intensity of
the fuel mix by 10 percent by 2020.
7. Encourage
strengthening of federal standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Colorado should urge the
federal government to improve the fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty
vehicles that use diesel fuel.
8. Stronger
building energy codes. Stronger energy codes for residential and commercial
buildings would reduce energy use and thus global warming pollution.
9. Appliance
efficiency standards. Colorado
should adopt energy efficiency standards for more appliances and equipment.
10. Efficiency
standards for lighting. More efficient light bulbs would cut electricity
use in the residential and commercial sectors and cut electricity bills for
consumers.
11. Increase
electricity efficiency funding. Colorado
can achieve greater electricity efficiency than is planned with the state’s
newly adopted energy efficiency requirement.
12. Industrial
efficiency programs. Manufacturing, mining and agricultural energy use
could be made more efficient with financial and technical assistance.
13. Tiered
pricing for electricity and natural gas. The cost per unit of residential and
commercial electricity use and residential natural gas use could increase with
the amount of energy consumed, thereby creating an incentive to reduce consumption.
14. Combined
heat and power. This technology allows commercial and industrial facilities
to use the same energy to generate both electricity and useful heat.
15. Expanded
renewable electricity standard. Colorado
should increase its renewable electricity requirement so that 30 percent of
electricity sold by all utilities comes from renewable sources by 2020.
16. Generation
performance standard. A strong generation performance standard would lead
to the retirement of the oldest coal-fired power plants and stop the
construction of new ones.
Adoption of these strategies would reduce global warming
pollution while improving Colorado’s
energy efficiency. By 2020, Colorado’s
emissions of carbon dioxide would be approximately 39 percent below a
business-as-usual scenario. These strategies will reduce the state’s emissions
to 23 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
This analysis includes only carbon dioxide emissions from
energy use (except jet fuel) because it is the largest source of global warming
pollution in Colorado.
Other global warming pollutants and emissions of carbon dioxide from non-energy
uses are excluded from this analysis but must be addressed if Colorado is to reduce its total emissions.
Colorado should commit to reducing its emissions of global
warming pollutants to levels consistent with the targets scientists believe we
need to meet to avoid catastrophic climate change, and adopt public policies
sufficient to achieve those reductions. Specifically, the state should: - Commit to achieving reductions in global warming
emissions sufficient to return to 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce emissions by
at least 80 percent from today’s levels by 2050. Adoption of a strong cap on
global warming emissions at the state, regional or federal level would ensure
that Colorado
achieves that goal.
- Ensure the full implementation of emission-reduction
policies already adopted.
- Adopt the 16 additional strategies recommended
in this report.
- Take additional actions to reduce global warming
pollution, including:
o Encourage
the purchase of fuel efficient vehicles, financed by a fee paid by owners of
passenger vehicles with the lowest fuel efficiency.
o Investigate
options for additional policies to reduce global warming pollution, especially
in areas not directly addressed in this report, such as emissions from air
travel and emissions of global warming pollutants other than carbon dioxide.
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