Climate change summit calls for thinking globally, acting locally

Last week, Governor Schwarzenegger held an International Summit on Climate Change. Governors from Kansas, Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin and international representatives from China, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, India, European Commission and the United Nations participated in a symbolic signing of a declaration to stop rainforest cutting in Indonesia and the Amazon. This gathering was intended to prepare a roadmap for a global treaty on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark in Dec. 2009.

Of the 400 participants from around the world, 40 students attended, and two represented Cal Poly. I was invited as a representative of the Empower Poly Coalition, a group of sustainability clubs on-campus that work to green campus curriculum, facilities operations and campus procurements. The privilege of participating in this influential summit was met with feelings of excitement and concern by what these global decision makers envision the future of capping carbon emissions to look like.

President- elect Barack Obama gave a surprise address to the Summit via Webcast, pledging to vigorously participate in discussions at the global treaty. What we can expect from his national policy, as stated in the address is: 1) a National cap and trade program, 2) creation of 5 million new green jobs, and 3) Fifteen billion dollars in annual investments to solar, wind and biofuel. Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom also addressed the delegation, noting that an international treaty was critical in dealing with an issue like climate change.

While our governor and our president-elect agree that establishing a cap-and-trade system that controls pollution by providing economic incentives to reduce emissions is the best solution, my fellow constituents and I question that notion. The challenge with this policy is that cap-and-trade does not make emitters pay, it just gives them incentive to pollute less. Other systems, such as carbon taxing that establishes a price on emissions, are straightforward mechanisms for greenhouse gas reduction.

Unfortunately, my qualms are only in vain; the global regulatory community seems to be in consensus that cap and trade is the best system, so there is no point in complaining. Further, some greenhouse gas legislation is better than none at all.

Whatever shape next year’s global treaty takes it is certain that local communities will be the ones to take action and actually start cutting back on emissions. As it turns out the whole “think global and act locally” idea is really true.

So, as a global citizen, a student, and as a member of the San Luis Obispo community I encourage you to get educated and involved in solving the climate crisis right here in San Luis Obispo. With our city’s greenhouse gas inventory near completion we are at the next step of identifying which paths we can take to change San Luis Obispo’s energy future.

On Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Steynberg Gallery, students and community members will hear from newly elected city council members Jan Marx and John Ashbough about their plans to make San Luis Obispo a leader in the renewable energy economy in an Energy Town Hall meeting. You are all invited to participate and make your voice heard here in San Luis Obispo and maybe even across the pond in Copenhagen.

Nancy Cole is a Mustang Daily columnist, a city and regional planning senior and the former vice-president of the Empower Poly Coalition.