CONFRONTING GLOBAL WARMING: THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION
Global warming is National Wildlife Federation’s top priority because global warming is an overriding threat to nature and human communities. As a global problem, this threat requires a global solution. We need all countries to join together to address the root cause by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to help poor countries that are the least responsible but likely to suffer the greatest impacts.
Pollution of the atmosphere and increased warming are reaching dangerous levels. All nations must confront global warming with actions appropriate to their capabilities and levels of development. The U.S. and other industrialized nations have the advanced technological capability to chart a new, safe, clean energy path for the world. If the U.S. takes the lead in this regard, others will follow. This is critical since global warming is a problem we cannot solve alone. The very nature of this challenge is that it is global. The atmosphere is not divided up by national boundaries.
WHAT ARE WE DOING AND WHY
During the last decade, the U.S. has lagged behind other industrialized countries in taking action to reduce global warming pollution. That is why “Step 1″ for NWF is working to ensure passage of U.S. legislation to put America on a 2% per year pathway to reduce our own greenhouse gas pollution, which helps to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
At the same time, the international community is also working toward a global agreement in 2009 with all nations cooperating to confront global warming by reducing greenhouse gas pollution. NWF is working to ensure that the U.S. is a leader in achieving this global consensus. This includes promoting cooperation with other countries to confront global warming through cleaner technology, protection of forests, and adaptation funding and ensuring that climate policy is fair. National Wildlife Federation supports U.S. legislation with assistance to developing countries to achieve these goals and U.S. leadership on these issues in the international treaty negotiations.
As the world faces impacts of global warming — ranging from an accelerating species extinction crisis to spreading drought and more damaging storms — NWF is rising to the challenge.
Our values call for action to preserve the natural world and help vulnerable communities who are less able to avoid damage from global warming. Many developing nations will need capacity building assistance to make the switch to clean energy and to cope with the impacts of climate change. Such assistance will contribute to a global warming agreement that benefits all nations, and promotes cooperation to avoid dangerous global warming. This is in America’s interest because otherwise climate change create instability and environmental harm to all.
Through cooperation, we can instead chart a clean energy path to prosperity and well-being for people and nature worldwide.
[photo: Barbara at Bonn]
