Report: New England Governors Face Shortfall In Meeting Global Warming Goals
Existing Commitments Projected To Yield Less Than One-Third Of Promised Reductions

Boston -- As the governors of the six new England states come together this weekend in Mystic, Connecticut, for their annual meeting, a new report released today has found that they are not on track to hit pollution reduction goals set two years ago.

In 2001 the governors, along with the premiers of the eastern Canadian provinces, made a landmark commitment to cut global warming pollution in the region. But the new analysis of policies put in place to date concludes that the region will see less than one-third of the promised pollution reductions unless further steps are taken to clean up cars, power plants, and other sources.

"The good intentions of 2001 are slowly generating progress," said Frank Gorke, Energy Advocate with the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) Education Fund. "But given the nature of the problem, there really is no time for delay. The governors have to take advantage of their upcoming meeting to move the ball further forward."

In an attempt to address what many policy makers and experts consider to be a growing threat to health, regional economies and environmental stability in the region, the governors committed to cut global warming pollution back to 1990 levels by 2010, and ten percent below 1990 levels by 2020. They also agreed to cut pollution 75-85% in the long term, which is the level of cuts scientists currently predict will be necessary to mitigate human effects on the climate.

"With the governors all meeting in Connecticut next week to report on climate progress, this is the perfect opportunity for the Governors to demonstrate true leadership in addressing climate change," said Cindy Luppi, Organizing Director for Clean Water Action. "The states signed on to the regional climate agreement two years ago -- the clock is ticking, and the governors need to put plans in place now if we are to meet the carbon pollution goals set by that agreement."

The report, Global Warming and New England: Progress, Opportunities and Challenges After Two Years of the Regional Climate Change Action Plan, calculates projected emission reductions that would result from regional commitments made by the governors over the last two years. These measures include boosting the efficiency of power plants, improving conservation programs, and purchasing high-efficiency appliances like LED traffic lights.

"Although many positive steps have been taken in New England to reduce global warming pollution, this report provides a strong warning to the region's governors that more action is needed," said Sue Jones, Energy Project Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

The report, released simultaneously in each New England state today, also assesses progress of the individual states toward developing their own climate action plans, a key component of the 2001 agreement. Rhode Island and Maine have made the most progress, with New Hampshire and Vermont lagging behind, and Massachusetts and Connecticut slowly drafting plans.

"Just as we underestimated the rate at which climate would change, we have underestimated the biological responses to warming, the accompanying weather extremes, and the economic consequences," said Paul Epstein, MD, MPH, of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard Medical School. "The good news is that we may have also underestimated the benefits of the Clean Energy Transition. Given the proper incentives, energy efficiency and smart technologies—such as distributed generation with tidal, solar, hybrid, fuel cell, wind and geothermal sources; green buildings; smart growth; and retrofitting of urban infrastructure—can be the engine of growth for 21st Century, and provide the climatic stability needed to maintain healthy forests and a healthier populous."

"This report comes at a critical crossroads for Boston, Massachusetts, and New England as a whole," said Roger Swartz, Director of the Community Initiatives Bureau at the Boston Public Health Commission. "It makes clear the important steps that we have already begun to take, such as the City of Boston's goal of reducing energy consumption by 10% by 2005. On a daily basis, the Boston Public Health Commission confronts numerous public health threats associated with global warming including the spread of West Nile Virus and epidemic rates of asthma associated with worsening air pollution. For this reason, the Boston Public Health Commission applauds the release of this report and we hope that it will educate and mobilize the public; encourage those already working on this issue; and motivate elected officials, individuals and private and public organizations to take action now to reduce global warming."

The New England Climate Coalition, representing over 150 health, energy, environmental and faith groups region-wide, has united around a 10 point platform of policies needed to significantly reduce emissions of global warming pollutants further outlined in the report. Regionally, the coalition urges the governors to adopt the following policies coming out of the regional meeting next week:

· Aggressively promote a regional cap on carbon pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants that features actual emission reductions and does not provide additional subsidies for nuclear reactors; and
· Establish a system of mandatory reporting and comprehensive inventories of carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions by 2005.

"As this report makes clear, continuation of the runaway growth in gasoline use will make it impossible for New England to cut its overall greenhouse gas emissions," said Marc Breslow, Director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network. "We must devise state and regional policies to greatly improve auto fuel efficiency and to increase the use of alternatives to personal motor vehicles."