Originally published on the CGS blog on June 4, 2014.
Monday marked a very significant day for environmentalists, with the EPA unveiling a sweeping new set of regulations designed to reduce carbon emissions nationwide. The proposal, which has yet to be implemented, lays out a formal plan for cutting carbon emission levels by 30% by 2030. It assigns target pollution goals for each state, while giving each state a variety of options to achieve them, including but not limited to shutting down some of its power plants, installing forms of efficient alternative energy, and joining cap-and-trade programs which would create a maximum cap on pollution and a market to buy and sell pollution permits.
The new proposal has not been without its share of criticism, however. Many who live in states where coal mining is a major industry have harshly criticized the regulations, calling them “job killers” that will inevitably lead to the economy’s demise. They claim that such regulations will prove harmful to the average person, as the regulations are predicted to raise the cost of electricity, albeit by less than a single percentage point.
Furthermore, some Republicans have become increasingly defiant, stating that they will simply not enforce the new regulations if they are passed. Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana has actively denounced the bill, claiming that he would oppose the proposed rules and instead look for more practical solutions that would not entail cutting any jobs. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is expected to follow suit, which seems logical given his track record in Texas for refusing to put into place any pollution compliance laws related to climate change.
This backlash on the newly proposed regulations is truly disheartening and disgraceful in the minds of the majority of Americans, including myself. In an era where scientific research has revealed the vast effects that climate change is having on our planet, many continue to deny its importance as a major issue that ought to be dealt with immediately. These people continue to defend the coal industry with vigor, refusing to acknowledge the fact that the entire globe has seen a rapid increase in average temperature–in some areas as much as seven degrees–or that the ice in Antarctica is melting at unprecedented levels.
Looking ahead to the future, I sincerely hope that the US continues to take a lead role in the movement to help stop climate change. It is of the utmost importance that the proposed regulations by the EPA are carried out not only on a national level, but also internationally; our efforts must blossom into a much larger collective effort with other countries that are major polluters, such as India and China. At the upcoming international Climate Summit in New York this summer, I urge the US to present an international plan to address climate change that is capable of being adhered to by the various countries of the world. For if the great superpowers of our world fail to band together to confront this growing problem, we together will be forced to face the consequences of our inaction.
