"Once again the EPA has forced our hand, which has resulted in our taking this extraordinary measure to fight the dangers of climate change," Attorney General Martha Coakley of Massachusetts, which is leading the petition, said in a statement. "The EPA's failure to act in the face of these incontestable dangers is a shameful dereliction of duty."
I'm proud to live in a state where we're fighting the good fight. But, while this is so important, we just haven't begun to turn the tide on climate change. I heard a colleague speak this week and learned that humans are currently exceeding predicted worse case scenarios for carbon emissions from just a few years ago. This is with the Kyoto protocol in effect. That is certainly not progress.
There's also "the other CO2 problem" that scientists are just starting to realize the importance of: Ocean acidification (More here.) Carbon dioxide is acidic, and humans have put so much up in the atmosphere that the surface oceans are becoming more acidic. Scientists beginning to learn are learning that that has profound implications for marine life and fisheries.
Thank you Massachusetts for leading the way. It's only the beginning of a long series of significant and urgent changes though. Is there a plan for how (Massachusetts) will transition its climate change policy in the soon arriving post-Bush era?
cross-post: bluemassgroup
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