President Bush once again talked tough this week about reducing
dependence on foreign oil. In his State of the Union speech, he set
forth the ambitious goal of reducing gasoline use by 20 percent in 10
years.
Such a cut makes sense because greater petroleum use
means a greater risk that our national economy and security will be
held hostage by tyrants and terrorists. As finite oil supplies dwindle,
the world needs a next generation of fuels, and the country that leads
in developing safe, reliable energy sources will prosper.
But
the president devoted only one sentence to mentioning the other reason
why it's critical to stop burning fossil fuels: That's the best way we
know to halt global warming.
Gov. Chet Culver will deliver his
budget address to the Legislature next week. He, too, is expected to
call for increased government help to boost production of renewable
fuels. Legislative leaders from both parties are tripping over
themselves to show support for an industry that holds so much promise
for Iowa.
Unlike the president, though, they shouldn't punt on
the issue of global warming. This session, the Legislature should
appoint a permanent commission to begin assessing greenhouse-gas
emissions in Iowa and how to reduce them.
Oh sure, a minority of
contrarians continues to question the proposition that human activity -
chiefly the emission of carbon dioxide when coal, petroleum and natural
gas are burned - is contributing to potentially cataclysmic climate
change. But the prudent course is to heed the warnings of science. Next
week, a U.N.-established working group is expected to issue the fourth
of a series of assessments since 1990 that will further link the
burning of fossil fuels to global warming.
The challenge of
reducing emissions of carbon-dioxide - the most abundant of greenhouse
gases, which trap the sun's heat - should be a priority concern for the
national government, working in concert with other nations. But in the
absence of national leadership, Iowa should join other states in moving
forward. There's no reason why the state that's the leading producer of
renewable fuels shouldn't also be the leader in reducing greenhouse-gas
emissions. State leaders should position Iowa for both.
Iowa is
third among states in installed wind-generating capacity, which lessens
reliance on coal-burning power plants. Burning ethanol or biodiesel,
especially in higher-percentage blends, rather than gasoline also
reduces greenhouse-gas emissions. Even greater reductions are possible
if ethanol is made from perennial grasses rather than corn grain.
Plants
absorb carbon dioxide, releasing the oxygen and storing the carbon. As
plants decompose, carbon is returned to the soil. Iowa farmers could
increase storage of carbon in soil by growing more perennial grasses or
converting to less tillage (which also would improve water quality).
Some experts foresee trading systems where the ability to reduce
atmospheric carbon dioxide would be worth cash.
Sen. Joe
Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, is among legislators who favor some sort of
formal action this session to begin addressing climate change. Rather
than a short-lived task force or between-session study group, he favors
a permanent commission to advise the governor and Legislature. It
should involve all the key players - from the utilities, business,
agriculture, the universities and state government. No one wants an
initiative to reduce carbon-dioxide pollution to stunt economic growth.
Shaped properly, it could instead induce innovation and create more
jobs.
Let's get started.
