CLIMATE INFO 101

The Basics

The Problem

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) — CO2 + Methane are the two big ones. There are others, but we create those two in excess. Proportionally, we emit substantially more CO2, and it lasts far longer in the atmosphere, which means every metric ton counts. But Methane is 80x more effective at trapping heat. We need to get rid of both.

The Reality

Every place sees a different side of climate change. Some places contend with worsening air and water pollution, while others are confronting shifting coastlines, intensified weather patterns and droughts. Some face all of the above. While adaptation looks different for every part of the country, reducing GHG emissions and pollution is our shared mission, and it demands economy-wide action.

The Solutions

Price on Carbon — At the beginning of 2020, over 3000 economists, including 27 Nobel Laureate economists, endorsed a national carbon dividend that would tax carbon and provide rebates to every citizen. Colorado has the chance to lead the way on a price on carbon and show the rest of the country how we can benefit from economy-wide action. 

Energy Transition — Over the past decade, wind and solar have emerged as the two most economical clean energies. Natural gas is making a temporary showing as a “bridge fuel”, because it emits 50% of the GHG’s as compared to coal. But a truly sustainable future for our planet requires a full-scale transition.

What’s Being Done

Colorado — Last year, our State Assembly and Governor Polis passed HB19 - 1261, which enumerated big GHG reduction goals, ultimately reducing emissions by 90% by 2050 (as compared to 2005 levels). There is more being done, but the bottom line is that we’re behind these goals, so we’re pushing for economy-wide solutions.

International — Almost 200 countries have committed to large-scale change. In 2015, world leaders signed the Paris Agreement, where they agreed to dramatically cut GHG emissions and ensure that the global temperature doesn’t rise more than 1.5℃. Beyond that, we’re looking at a dangerously different climate altogether.