Feb 19, 2008 6:16 pm US/Eastern
Global Warming Debate Heats Up
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ/AP) ―
If global warming produces higher sea levels, a lot of Maryland real estate is going under water.
That's prompted legislation in Annapolis to reduce the greenhouse gases that cause warming. As Alex DeMetrick reports, that's creating its own kind of heat.
Global warming is the result of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Those gas molecules blanket the earth, trapping the sun's warmth, heating the atmosphere. In Annapolis, that's led to a global warming bill, backed by the governor.
The bill before lawmakers would require Maryland to slash emissions of carbon-based greenhouse gases 25 percent by 2020 and 90 percent by 2050. If adopted, the carbon reductions would be the nation's steepest.
Gov. Martin O'Malley backed the proposal Tuesday, saying Maryland is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise because of its more than 3,000 miles of shoreline.
"We know that we are facing a crisis, and the only way to get out of that crisis is to set goals and put them in legislation," O'Malley said. "Solutions that are particularly important for our state, which is the third most vulnerable to sea level rise in the United States. First is Florida. Second is Louisiana. Then third is Maryland."
The governor's support, offered after a meeting with environmental activists at the State House, was a major boost to the bill's chances. But as a Senate committee began work an hour later combing through the proposal, it became clear the measure faces serious opposition.
Even administration officials behind the bill conceded that they don't know whether it's possible to achieve the 90 percent reduction without the invention of new technology. And they also told senators it would be better if the whole nation, or all nations, took similar measures.
"We're hearing a lot of questions about whether these goals are realistic," said Environment Secretary Shari Wilson, talking to senators about the proposal. She concluded the 90 percent goal is "very realistic" because new technologies will be invented.
Wilson said the state should act because "we can no longer wait for the federal government to take action."
Lawmakers heard a short primer on global warming and listened to state scientists predicting drought, famine and the loss of Maryland real estate if climate change is not addressed. Don Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, testified that policy makers can't wait to enact deep carbon reductions to address potential disaster.
"Early action, not a year from now, not two years from now, not 10 years from now, needs to be taken," Boesch said.
Critics, though, pointed out that it's unclear how much it would cost to meet the carbon reductions. And they questioned why Maryland should adopt carbon caps without similar action from the federal government.
"The goals may be laudable, but they have consequences," said Sen. Allan Kittleman, the Senate's second-ranking Republican. "If it's something of a global nature, why are we going to ask the citizens to pay for it?"
Supporters, including Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Democrat who sponsored the measure, argued that action by the states would cumulatively pressure Washington to act on carbon caps. New Jersey and California have already agreed to carbon reduction goals, though not 90 percent goals.
"Until there is a federal policy, we need to continue to seek state action," Pinsky testified.
But several union and industry groups opposed Pinsky's plan, saying Maryland workers would suffer. They predicted jobs would leave the state and nation if companies are forced to comply with carbon caps.
"I guarantee you people in Beijing are not sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see what you're going to do so they can copy you," said Michael Powell, a lobbyist for a manufacturing industry group, the Maryland Industrial Technology Alliance.
Supporters conceded that opposition to the plan is strong. But they insisted that Maryland must begin work at cutting its greenhouse gas production.
"There are a thousand reasons to do nothing and wait for others to act," said House Democratic Leader Kumar Barve, who sponsored a version in that chamber.
O'Malley concluded, "We don't really have a choice."
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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