Stay Informed!

Josephs asks governor to consider efforts to reduce global warming pollution by 80 percent

HARRISBURG, March 27 -- State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., has sent a letter to the governor applauding him on his intent to unveil later this spring a comprehensive plan to reduce Pennsylvania's contributions to global warming, and to ask that he include science-based global warming pollution reduction targets in those plans.

"As we both know, unless checked, global warming impacts on Pennsylvania could include everything from more heat-related deaths to increased severe flooding, to the introduction of unfamiliar, deadly diseases, to an adverse influence on agriculture, our state's biggest industry," Josephs wrote. "Scientists have concluded that the planet is heating up due to human activity -- particularly pollution from coal-fired power plants and private passenger and commercial vehicles.

"And Pennsylvania certainly has a role to play in addressing this problem, as the Commonwealth currently produces more global warming pollution than every state but Texas and California," she said.

Scientists have warned that to avoid the worst consequences of global warming, this country needs to reduce global warming pollution by 80 percent by 2050.

"Such targets will help ensure that Pennsylvania is leading the way in the effort to tackle the problem of global warming -- and that we're achieving the pollution reduction scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of global warming."

Josephs, herself an ardent environmentalist -- she doesn't own or drive a car, and is a strong advocate of public transit and recycling -- said she supported the governor's initiative and looked forward to working with him on this and other environmental issues.