The American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that carbon dioxide is a threat to human health and welfare. After a scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the EPA issued a preliminary finding that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution and may endanger public health or welfare. The report identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
The recent EPA announcement was met with considerable enthusiasm, in the USA and internationally, by environmentalists who see this as an important first step in implementing greenhouses gas regulations in the United States.
“This finding confirms that greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations. Fortunately, it follows President Obama’s call for a low carbon economy and strong leadership in Congress on clean energy and climate legislation,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in a statement.
In addition to threatening human health, the analysis also included the implication of climate change effects on American security. Eleven retired U.S. generals and admirals signed a report from the Center for a New American Security stating that climate change “presents significant national security challenges for the United States”, explained the EPA.
Diminishing resources, including water, will be a further by-product of climate change according to the recent analysis. This lack of resources, driven by climate change patterns, then drives massive migration to more stabilized regions of the world explained the report.
The potential cost of not addressing climate change is also a factor in the recent EPA announcement. A Tufts’ University study shows the cost of inactivity around climate change could be an estimated $74 trillion dollars globally.
Before taking any steps to reduce greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, the EPA will accept input for the next 60 days and hold several public hearings before issuing any final findings.
To give feedback visit: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/comments3.htm
To read more about the EPA’s climate change findings visit: http://epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html
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