Climate Newsfeed
The Bottom Line
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere now stand at 385 parts per million (ppm), 67% above the average of the past 800,000 years, and 29% above the maximum of the same period.
- The rate of increase of CO2 is 2.2 ppm/year and getting faster.
- When atmospheric CO2 was above 450 ppm in the earth's history, the planet was completely ice-free, and sea level was 75 meters higher than today.
- The safe upper limit of atmospheric CO2 that we should aim to stay below is probably between 300-350 ppm. We have already overshot it and the longer we stay above that the more likely we will have set in motion long-term climate changes that will proceed beyond human control through powerful geophysical positive feedback mechanisms.
- Sudden warmings of a few degrees in the past have triggered mass extinctions. Current species extinction rate is estimated at 100 to 1000 times the average extinction rates in the evolutionary time scale of planet Earth. A mass extinction is underway and we have to reverse course quickly enough to prevent the worst.
Stop the Meltdown - Start the Future!
Save the Economy AND the Planet!
Our oil-addicted economy is beginning to unravel under the pressure of increasing oil prices and depletion of petroleum reserves. American blood and dollars are being squandered in endless wars to protect oil supplies. Climate change is already causing major disasters, and appears to be leading to an environmental catastrophe that will wreck the economy and destabilize human civilization. We can’t continue down this road much longer. If we do, our resources will be exhausted simply reacting to mounting problems, and we will be caught in an irreversible downward spiral. We need take a different path - a path away from oil addiction and toward a Secure Green Future.
The Secure Green Future public policy question will appear on the ballot in 11 House districts across the state. It calls for decisive action to break our oil addiction while simultaneously addressing the climate crisis. By voting for the SGF, people can speak out in favor of full mobilization of our society’s resources to arrest climate change and build local green economies that include sustainable regional food systems. A bright and healthy future is possible - if we act before it is too late.
Your voice needs to be heard. If you are in one of the SGF House districts, be sure to vote “Yes” on November 4. No matter where you live, you can sign the SGF statewide petition. If you’d like to help spread the word on SGF, please respond to the volunteer or donation pages on this website. By speaking up, we let our elected officials know that there is public support for decisive action. With each person who takes a stand, the Secure Green Future comes a little closer.
The Secure Green Future Question
Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that:
- reduces greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts by 80% by 2020, and
- phases out tax incentives for energy-intensive projects, while expanding job creation programs for locally-owned businesses and cooperatives involved in renewable energy, conservation, and sustainable agriculture?
To help us pass the Secure Green Future question in all 11 districts, we need funding for printing, website expenses, and organizer time. Please help by donating to the Committee for a Secure Green Future.
For More Information:
* Questions and Answers on the Secure Green Future
Relevant Links:
* Plan B - Earth Policy Institute
SGF Mission Statement
The Secure Green Future (SGF) project educates, activates and empowers Massachusetts residents to effectively address the converging threats of climate change, resource depletion, and economic meltdown. We work to guide communities toward an essential economic transformation that will make possible a sustainable and just post-carbon future. SGF seeks to break the shackles of what is “politically feasible” and inspire change that addresses the magnitude and urgency of the dangers we are facing. We are committed to the principle of democratic empowerment as the most appropriate means for securing the just and sustainable future that we all deserve, and that is within our reach.
Landslide victories for the Secure Green Future ballot initiative!
Thanks to an incredible grassroots effort, the Secure Green Future ballot question has won in EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT it appeared, and by a total landslide margin! At least 153,252 voters said YES to a Secure Green Future on November 4th, netting the ballot question an astounding 81.44% of the vote!!!
Thanks to all of you who helped get these questions on the ballot and helped to spread the word to voters. Your efforts have paid off big time, and we now have clear evidence that the people of Massachusetts are READY for decisive action to fight climate change and energy uncertainty by transitioning to a secure, green economy NOW.
