What's at Stake
In lieu of federal action, state governments have been leading the way in linking climate action to energy policy, job growth, business development and environmental protection. In the preamble to his executive order establishing South Carolina’s Climate, Energy and Commerce Advisory Committee (CECAC), Governor Mark Sanford stated that, “Man is quite clearly having an impact…and while it's been my longtime belief as a conservative that I should exercise as many rights and freedoms as possible, those rights and freedoms end when they begin to infringe upon the rights of others.”
Challenges
Governor Sanford asked 29 leaders from business, industry, government and conservation to serve on CECAC and charged them with recommending a final action plan by June 2008 that considered the “potential benefits, costs, savings and feasibility of infrastructure efficiency and carbon dioxide mitigation options.”
South Carolina joins 16 states that have launched similar initiatives utilizing the technical expertise of the non-profit Center for Climate Strategies (CCS). The process builds consensus through alternative dispute resolution, community collaborative decision-making and corporate strategic planning.
CECAC initially reviewed a master catalogue of over 300 state greenhouse gas reduction actions. The committee has already approved a set of 49 policy options uniquely suited to South Carolina that specify applications in agriculture, forestry, waste management, transportation, land use, building infrastructure and energy supply. Five technical workgroups are working within a tightly choreographed process, and CCS specialists are tasked with quantifying reductions and analyzing costs and cost savings out to 2020. All meetings and teleconferences are open to the public with opportunity to provide comment.
Next Steps
Compare CECAC recommendations to results in other states, such as Utah’s goal of a 20 percent reduction in energy use by 2015 or New Mexico’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 267 million metric tons and to create a projected $2 billion net economic savings for New Mexico’s economy.
Educate elected officials at all levels of government about the social, economic and political consequences of global climate change.
Attend CECAC meetings and teleconferences and submit comments. More information is available at www.scclimatechange.us or contact Justin Evans, Office of the Governor at 803-734-5957.
Individuals from the professional conservation community serving on CECAC are:
Dana Beach, Coastal Conservation League, 843-723-8035
Steve Smith, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, 865-637-6055
Brad Wyche, Upstate Forever, 864-250-0500
Fast Facts
Sixteen states have passed Renewable Electricity Standards, including two in the South.
North Carolina is requiring its utilities to get 12.5 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed a bill to authorize the Florida Public Service Commission to give priority to renewables and conservation before approving conventional coal-fired power plants.
Currently, clean-burning natural gas provides roughly one fifth of the nation’s power needs.
Fifty percent of the power generated in SC comes from nuclear power plants.