As the new home of OSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Oregon can be contacted regarding this news release.
Washington,
DC —This year’s unprecedented heat wave is part of a broader trend of
rising temperatures across the country, according to a new report
released today by the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group
(OSPIRG). In the continental United States, the first seven months of
2006 were the warmest January-July of any year on record, according to
data from the National Climatic Data Center analyzed by OSPIRG. In
Oregon, July of 2006 was the third-warmest July on record.
“Global
warming is happening, and Oregonians are feeling the heat,” said OSPIRG
Environmental Advocate Jeremiah Baumann. “Temperatures will continue to
rise unless we quickly and significantly reduce global warming
pollution nationally and in Oregon, and shift rapidly toward clean
renewable energy,” continued Baumann.
To
examine how these recent temperature patterns compare with temperatures
over the last 30 years, OSPIRG analyzed government temperature data
from 255 major weather stations, including seven in Oregon, for the
years 2000-2005 and the first six months of 2006. This recent data was
compared to “normal” temperatures for the three decades spanning
1971-2000. Key findings include:
•
Nationally, between 2000 and 2005, the average temperature was above
normal in every state and at 95% of the locations, indicating
widespread warming. In addition, nights are getting warmer; the average
minimum (nighttime low) temperature was above normal at 92% of the
locations examined.
•
In Oregon, between 2000 and 2005 and between January and July of 2006,
average temperatures were above the historical trend at every
monitoring station in the state.
•
Between 2000 and 2005, Medford showed the biggest difference from its
historical average. In 2006, Portland experienced the most above-normal
temperatures. Daytime highs were above normal statewide, and nighttime
lows were above normal at every station except Pendleton.
“One
or two degrees may not seem like much, but just like in people, a
small, relatively rapid temperature increase can have serious
consequences,” said Baumann. Baumann pointed to numerous studies
showing that sea levels are already on the rise on the Oregon coast,
snowpack is declining in the Cascades, and hurricanes in Atlantic are
becoming more powerful. Left unchecked, global warming threatens to
cause dramatic climatic shifts. To avoid the worst consequences of
global warming, the U.S. must stabilize global warming emissions within
the next decade, begin reducing them soon thereafter, and cut emissions
by 80% by the middle of this century.
“The
good news is that we already have the tools to substantially reduce
global warming pollution. We just have to put the solutions to work,”
said Baumann.
Oregon
and the U.S. could cut global warming pollution by nearly 20% by 2020
by making our homes, cars, and businesses more efficient, switching to
renewable energy sources, and giving Americans more alternatives to
driving, paired with strong, mandatory limits on global warming
emissions.
“These
are win-win solutions because they also will improve America’s, and
Oregon’s, long-term economy and energy security by reducing U.S.
dependence on oil and other fossil fuels,” said Baumann.
Oregon has already led the way by becoming one of the first states to
adopt the Clean Cars program, which will cut global warming pollution
from new cars and trucks by 20%. Oregon has also adopted energy
efficiency standards for appliances. Governor Kulongoski has proposed a
next step – requiring Oregon utilities to generate 25% of their
electricity from renewable resources by2025.
This
summer Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer joined Representative
Henry Waxman of California in introducing the Safe Climate Act (H.R.
5642), which would harness clean energy solutions to reduce U.S. global
warming emissions by about 15% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050. Senator
Jeffords of Vermont introduced a similar bill, called the Global
Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 3698), in July.
“We
commend Representative Blumenauer, Representative Waxman, and Senator
Jeffords for their leadership in working to protect future generations
from global warming,” concluded Baumann.
