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The Nature Conservancy Applauds Gov. Rell for Joining Historic Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to Combat Climate Change

MIDDLETOWN, CT — The Nature Conservancy applauds the decision by Governor Rell to have Connecticut join with other Northeast states to sign the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a historic multi-state agreement that takes great strides toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.

“We applaud Governor Rell for joining with other states in the Northeast in the Initiative,” said Lise Hanners, Ph. D, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut.   “With the reality of climate change setting in, this agreement sets an important precedent for future climate change policies across the United States and internationally.”

RGGI sets an exemplary precedent to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants using a market-based system at little to no cost to electricity consumers.  In fact, this new regional climate accord would improve energy efficiency and could save the typical residential customer about $50 per year, according to analysis sponsored by nine Northeast states.

The initiative will place caps on carbon dioxide emissions from electric generation facilities and allow trading of emission reductions allowances to meet those caps. By turning emission reductions into a marketable asset, RGGI creates incentives for companies to invest in emission reduction technologies and gives businesses the flexibility to meet emission reduction goals at the lowest costs.
 
“We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Rell to make this historic Northeast climate change program successful,” said Hanners. “Through this initiative, the Northeast will be leading our nation in taking a substantial leap forward to reduce global warming emissions.”

Over the past 50 years, The Nature Conservancy has invested billions of dollars in nature conservation in Connecticut and around the globe.  But these investments, as well as those of the federal government and private land owners, are in jeopardy because of climate change.  An Environmental Protection Agency report notes an eight inch rise in the sea level measured in New London over the past 100 years.  This trend is expected to continue and will likely increase in rate.  If such rises continue they threaten fragile coastal wetlands along the Connecticut coast that provide habitat for many shorebirds.  Any loss of coastal wetlands or tidal marshes would also reduce the habitat available to migratory waterfowl. 

“This program will serve as a catalyst for additional regional and national action.  More attention needs to be paid to this issue and more actions are needed to continue reducing heat-trapping emissions and minimizing the threats that climate change poses to people, businesses and natural communities,” said Hanners.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit us on the Web at nature.org.