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Activists: Action against global warming needed
O'Malley's office hints at stricter standards

By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer
Published August 16, 2007

Paul W. Gillespie - The Capital

Photos: 
TOP: Arnold sisters Ella Wallace,5 , and Simmone Wallace,3 , carry a sign during a global warmingrally in Annapolis.
BOTTOM: Brad Heavner of the nonprofit group Environment Maryland urges the state Commission on Climate Change and the governor to support strict limits on carbon dioxide emissions.


During a rally on sun-baked Lawyers Mall in Annapolis yesterday, activists and politicians called for Maryland to take serious actions to fight global warming.

Charging that it's time to "move from study to action," advocates are pushing for Maryland to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050. The reductions would be based on 2006 emissions levels.

"Doing nothing is no longer an option," said Del. Kumar P. Barve, D-Montgomery, the House of Delegates majority leader.

Mr. Barve and Sen. Paul Pinsky led a failed effort to pass a bill with similar goals in the last General Assembly session. But after the session, Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed a commission to look into the issue with an eye toward the 2008 session.

The Commission on Climate Change is scheduled to report back to the governor by Nov. 1. The commission, which has 99 members including its subcommittees, is made up of government officials, politicians, experts and interested citizens.

"It's time to do something," said Mr. Pinsky, D-Prince George's. "I'm optimistic we're going to do it on the commission."

Several of the approximately 50 attendees at yesterday's rally are on the commission - including Mr. Pinsky and Mr. Barve - and they've been trying to drum up public interest in the commission's activities.

Advocates said they hope the commission will have a concrete recommendation for emissions limits that the governor will turn into a bill for the 2008 General Assembly session.

At the rally they turned over to the administration 5,400 postcards from Marylanders who support limits on emissions.

With the governor in Ocean City at a conference, Tad Aburn, the top air quality official at the Maryland Department of the Environment, accepted the postcards. He's also a member of the commission.

He highlighted the governor's commitment to global warming and clean air - Mr. O'Malley signed a bill earlier this year on tightening car emissions and created the commission. And Mr. Aburn also said he expects his boss to continue to take action on global warming.

Standing in front of a bright yellow banner advertising the goals of "at least 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050," Mr. Aburn said: "I think the time has come and you're going to see action this year."

Mr. Aburn hinted that even stricter emissions are possible, pointing to the banner and saying, "I'm glad you put the words 'at least' in there."

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, global warming occurs when higher levels of gases such as carbon dioxide are released into Earth's atmosphere. Those gases trap heat, instead of allowing it to dissipate into space - thus the nickname, "greenhouse effect."

The result is increased air temperatures that can lead to rising sea levels and changes in the climate around the globe - including the possibility of more frequent or more severe storms.

While climate change is a global issue, advocates said all countries must act to make a difference and avoid the worst effects. The U.S. federal government hasn't acted, so it's up to the states to start the ball rolling, said Claire Douglass of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

"Maryland is in a unique position to set an example for the rest of the country," she said.