WASHINGTON (May 28, 2008) — “The Wilderness Society (TWS) commends Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Ma) for authoring a strong proposal that would cut global warming causing emissions by 85 percent by 2050, consistent with the world scientific community’s warnings on how best to prevent devastating climate-related damage to our planet. This bill carries the landmark debate over global warming to the House and highlights the need to strengthen both the target for emission reductions and the timetables on which these reductions will be completed. We look forward to working with Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee Chairman Markey and his allies in the House to pass a strong bill that includes provisions that would increase our capacity to adapt public lands to climate changes that are already unavoidable.”
“We are in a race with time to protect human health by preserving the biodiversity found in our national parks, forests, wilderness areas and wildlife refuges. Congress is on the threshold of what should be one of the great debates of our generation. We are grateful Rep. Markey has seen fit to promote a full auction of emissions allowances by 2020 and we hope, as the debate continues, more than 1 to 2 percent of these revenues will be devoted to preserving the role of our public wildlands in preventing additional global warming and in protecting all species from its damaging effects.”
“Without our nation’s public lands to provide shelter for wildlife, filtration for water and space of ecological adaptation, the United States could face serious challenges in the face of global warming. In fact, a report released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture documents just how dire the impacts of global warming have been to our nation's forests, water resources, farmland and wildlife and how this will only worsen in the next 30 years. The debate now about to begin in both houses of Congress will define our generation, and the world future generations will inherit. Now it is time for the rest of Congress to step up to this urgent challenge.”
