The Best Solution on Climate Change Requires Congress to Act - Bernie Sanders (VT) Introduces Legislation

The Guardian - February 16, 2013

Bernie Sanders, US Senator from Vermont:  I introduced a bill to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions because it's the right move for current and future generations.

Unless we take bold action to reverse climate change, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are going to look back on this period in history and ask a very simple question: Where were they? Why didn't the United States of America, the most powerful nation on earth, lead the international community in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and preventing the devastating damage that the scientific community was sure would come?

Legislation that I introduced(pdf) with the support of leading environmental organizations in the country can actually address the crisis and do what has to be done to protect the planet.

What would that mean to planet earth? Sea levels would rise by three to six feet, which would flood cities like New Orleans, Boston and Miami and coastal communities all over the world. It would mean that every year we would see more and more extreme weather disturbances, like Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year and resulting in devastating blows to our economy and productive capabilities.

We would see the price of food go up because crops in the US and around the world would be affected by temperatures substantially greater than what we have today. It would mean greater threats of war and international instability because hungry and thirsty people would be fighting for limited resources. It would mean more disease and unnecessary deaths.

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Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation on Feb. 14 to bring down US greenhouse gas emissions. Photograph: Alison Redlich/AP