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The Nature Conservancy Applauds Gov. Lynch for Joining Historic Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to Combat Climate Change
CONCORD, N.H. — The Nature Conservancy applauds the decision by Governor Lynch that New Hampshire has signed onto 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 congratulate the leadership of Gov. Lynch for brokering this landmark deal with other states in the Northeast,” said Daryl Burtnett, state director of the New Hampshire chapter of The Nature Conservancy. “This is a tremendous first step that 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 Lynch to make this historic Northeast climate change program successful,” Burtnett said. “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 New Hampshire 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. For example, protected lands in New Hampshire may become unsuitable for American marten, spruce grouse or other species as heat-trapping gasses accumulate in the atmosphere and cause severe changes in local weather patterns. Climate change over the past 100 years in New Hampshire has already been documented to have increased seasonal temperatures and rainfall amounts and decrease both snowfall amounts and the number of days with snow on the ground. Scientists predict that, given current trends, climate change could impact New Hampshire’s maple sugaring and skiing businesses, as well as many other industries.
“The RGGI program will serve as a catalyst for additional regional and national action which is critical to reducing heat-trapping emissions and minimizing the threats that climate change poses to the people, businesses and ecosystems in New Hampshire and across the country,” Burtnett said.
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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 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Since 1961 The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire has protected nearly 118,000 acres of ecologically significant land and has worked with partners to protect an additional 148,000 acres in the state. The Conservancy owns and manages 30 preserves across the state. For more information, visit www.nature.org/newhampshire.
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