Hundreds of Marylanders Rally in Annapolis for Action on Global Warming

Alliance for Global Warming Solutions

 

Press Release

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2008

 

Contact: Claire Douglass, 240-396-1985, claire@chesapeakeclimate.org
Dawn Stoltzfus, 410-280-9855 or 410-562-5655 cell, dstoltzfus@mdlcv.org

 

Hundreds of Marylanders Call on the Governor and General Assembly to Take Action on Global Warming

 

Annapolis, MD—What brings a Reverend from Montgomery County, a business owner from Baltimore, a doctor from Johns Hopkins, and a junior from the University of Maryland, College Park to Annapolis on a snowy day in January? The answer: global warming. Today this diverse group joined an estimated 350 or more Marylanders in front of the State House for the largest environmental rally in recent memory to ask Governor O’Malley and the General Assembly to pass the “Global Warming Solutions Act” in the 2008 legislative session. At the rally, bill sponsors Senator Paul Pinsky and Delegate Kumar Barve cheered on 18 of their fellow legislators to “walk the green carpet” and co-sponsor the bill.

 

The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008 would require Maryland to reduce its global warming pollution 25% by 2020 and 90% by 2050 as cost-effectively as possible, as recommended by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change. These targets, based on what scientists recommend is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, would be the strongest in the nation.

 

“Marylanders turned out today by the hundreds because they understand that now is the time to act decisively on global warming,” said Claire Douglass, Maryland Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Addressing global warming will help clean up the Chesapeake Bay, stimulate the economy, and usher in a clean energy revolution. Today citizens demonstrated that they are ready to stand up and demand this hopeful future for Maryland.”

 

“This is the beginning of a new era for Maryland,” said Brad Heavner, Executive Director of Environment Maryland. “No longer are we going to ignore the global warming impacts of our actions. It’s time to follow the science and do what we need to do.”

 

Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters said: “Right now, Maryland’s elected officials have an enormous opportunity -- some would say a responsibility -- to take action on global warming and make Maryland a national leader on what is certainly the most important environmental issue of our time.”

 

The Alliance for Global Warm Solutions applauded the Commission on Climate Change’s draft recommendations released in December as “visionary,” and the coalition was specifically pleased to see the commission recommend aggressive targets to reduce global warming pollution. The targets are bolstered by recommendations for a major new energy efficiency program and increases to the state’s renewable energy standard that illustrate the commission’s commitment to implementing the plan quickly. However, advocates describe the recommendations as “missing the mark” regarding transportation and reducing the amount of vehicle miles traveled in the state.

Baltimore business owner Ted Rouse told the attendees: “We believe it is possible for business to make a profit and be responsible for our impact on planet Earth. I am pleased to tell you that the locally owned business members of Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance are proud to be a force for environmental sustainability.”

 

Dr. Cindy Parker, Co-Director of the Program on Global Sustainability and Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, spoke to the crowd and said: “Climate change is the greatest threat to our public health we've ever faced, compromising the quality of our air, water, and everything around us we rely on to maintain our health.”

 

Public Perceptions about Global Warming

 

In a 2007 Washington Post poll, 86% of respondents said they think global warming will be a serious problem if nothing is done to reduce it in the future, and a majority think global warming is the single biggest environmental problem the world faces at this time. In addition, 70% think the government should do more than it’s doing now to try to deal with global warming. (Washington Post/ABC News/Stanford University http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/polls/postpoll_environment_042007.html April 10, 2007 Sample: 1002 adults nationwide)

 

Impacts of Global Warming

 

• Maryland, with its 3,100 miles of tidally influenced coastline, is highly susceptible to negative impacts from global warming.
• Global average temperatures increased by more than 1.4° F in the past century. Sea level is rising, ice and snow cover are decreasing, and storm intensity has increased.
• World average temperatures could increase by another 3 to 7° F above late 20th century levels by the end of this century, depending on future emissions of global warming pollutants. Sea level could rise by between 11 and 17 inches, threatening low-lying coastal areas.

 

The Alliance for Global Warming Solutions, which organized today’s rally, held global warming town hall meetings across the state last fall and has delivered more than 18,000 citizen postcards to the O’Malley Administration asking for targeted reductions of greenhouse gases. The Alliance for Global Warming Solutions is composed of health, faith, business, environmental and community groups working together to find solutions to this global crisis. Visit www.alliancemd.org for more information.

 

The Commission on Climate Change holds a public meeting this afternoon from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Department of Natural Resources Conference Room C-1, 580 Taylor Avenue, Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401.

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