The Free Press -- Independent News Media

Wed Jan 07 2009

Departments
Environment

CO2 Emissions
by Free Press Staff
in Journal issue Green Lifestyle 2002
April 12, 2002

The sheer magnitude of U.S. CO2 emission levels alone illustrates the need to use more renewable energy sources

Since a consensus within the scientific community on Global Warming may not be achieved for decades to come, a pragmatic approach for Policy Makers is not to address this issue in terms of either black or white (i.e., either Global Warming is occurring or it isn’t) but in terms of prudence.

For example, almost 40% of carbon emissions originate from fossil fuels used to generate electricity but less than six tenths of 1 percent of grid electricity is produced from alternative energy sources. During 1995, energy related carbon emissions in the U.S. continued to rise for the fourth straight year. These 1995 levels are well above the level targeted in the current Administration’s Voluntary Climate Change Action Plan — To return U.S. CO2 emissions to their 1990 level by the year 2000. Also, According to the DOE, World emissions of carbon are expected to increase by 54 percent above 1990 levels by 2015.

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