WASHINGTON, DC, April 7, 2008 (ENS) – Mel Martinez says the time to act on climate change is now. The junior U.S. Senator from Florida said Sunday that he will support federal legislation that curbs carbon emissions, but the Orlando Republican says he wants to ensure the costs are fairly distributed.

Congress clearly recognizes the need to address carbon dioxide emissions that are raising the planetary temperature. Martinez says, “To date there are no fewer than 73 bills that would directly address climate change issues.”

“The expense of addressing climate change should be shared across all regions of America, not just some specific areas,” Martinez wrote in a special article in the “Orlando Sentinel” newspaper on Sunday.

Senator Mel Martinez (Photo courtesy
Office of the Senator)

“In the Southeast,” he said, “because of the types of power generation we depend on, climate-change legislation has the real potential to increase our power rates dramatically.”

The Southeast depends on fossil fuels and nuclear power for 94 percent of its electric power generation but most of the states have little or no fossil fuel resources, and no nuclear resources to tap into, leaving them dependent on other states and countries for fuel, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

More than 93 percent of the coal distributed in the region for electric power in 2005 had to be to imported from other states and countries, sending $7.3 billion out of the region.

“As former president of the Orlando Utilities Commission,” Martinez said he is sensitive to the impact that rate increases have on the most vulnerable.

“We have to be sensitive to the effects even modest increases have on those living on a fixed income, the elderly and lower-wage earners. In whatever action we take, we must ensure this population is protected,” the senator wrote.

A Cuban American and the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush in his first term, Martinez does not agree with the president that the climate can wait.

“On the question of climate change, I believe we need to take action now to reduce carbon emissions,” wrote Martinez. “The evidence is overwhelming that our climate is suffering a change due to the actions of mankind.”

“Common sense tells us that billions upon billions of tons of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere will have a negative effect. I believe we have a responsibility to examine the specific impacts, and to take action to minimize the carbon emissions we put into the atmosphere,” Martinez wrote.

Better alternative fuels that burn cleaner, wind and solar power, hybrid vehicles and “further development of nuclear energy to supplement our domestic energy demands,” is the mix Martinez would adopt.

The nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists, UCS, says the Southeast, including Florida, would benefit from a national renewable energy standard because it would reduce the need to import coal and other fossil fuels, keeping energy dollars in the Southeast and boosting regional energy self-reliance.

The UCS’ most recent analysis found that under a 20 percent national renewable energy standard, annual payments to local Southeast landowners who produce bioenergy would reach $2.7 billion by 2020.

The House and the Senate separately have each passed different versions of a national renewable energy standard measure, but no law has been enacted.

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The amount of potential energy from the sun is greater than the amount of electricity consumed by the entire planet over one year. While this is an encouraging statistic, technical and financial factors have made it a daunting task to create electricity from solar energy. However, with the climate at risk and growing public support for newer, cleaner technologies, the obstacles preventing widespread solar adoption are quickly becoming easier to overcome. Algeria is an example of a place where these obstacles to PV (Photo-voltaic) systems are being surmounted. The construction of a solar plant in the Hassi R’mel area of Algeria is expected to conclude in 2010. The plant will deliver 150 Megawatts of naturally produced, zero emissions electricity.

One of the more encouraging facts about this development in the renewable energy movement is that oil and natural gas sales make up the lion’s portion of Algeria’s exports. This means the country currently has no need to power its’ economy on solar power. However, the countries’ leaders recognize that the fossil fuel resources will run out at some point, and that preemptive action has to be taken in order to insure a prosperous future. Traditionally, oil bearing countries have tried to stop renewable energy at all costs, fearing they would be destroying their primary export in the process. Algeria, at least, has realized a fatal flaw in this aforementioned fear. If you are slowly retrofitting the infrastructure of your country to run on renewable power sources, and thereby curbing the demand for oil in the process, then you have replaced your fossil fuel economy with a renewable fuel economy. Seems like a win-win situation, especially when you factor in all the domestic jobs you gain in Algeria as a result of renewable industry.

Three cheers for the North African country of Algeria. Hopefully all of the oil rich countries around the world will pursue a similar path.

Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman is trying to meet George Bush’s call for government agencies to put in place conservation efforts and renewable energy integration strategies. The benchmark to be reached is cutting energy use 30 percent, and cutting water use 16 percent by 2015. Additionally, the conservation strategy also includes a directive for renewable energy fuels to replace traditional fossil fuel resources in government vehicles and in heating systems. Hopefully these measures will also include solar power systems to lower carbon-based electricity usage.

It is heartening to think that the government wants to set an example for the rest of the country—while setting an example is the least that can be done, it is nonetheless a start. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman plans to roll-out the first stages of the energy conservation plan in 2008.

Ultimately, there is a lot of talk in Washington about climate crisis but little action to ameliorate the problems. It seems as if the burden of effort relegates to the states themselves, as many places such as New York currently offer 60% rebates on renewable energy systems like solar, wind and hydroelectric. You can find some pretty good lists of these rebates around the web, like the one here. [www.dsireusa.org] It is important to note that the incentives for getting renewable energy systems are currently very good, and that many certified installers will help you with the paperwork. Also, a little known fact about these rebates is that they pull funds from a static annual fund, and that they will decrease as more energy is created by renewable systems. Therefore, you should make sure you join the conservation party while the ‘drinks’ are still free.