[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 80 (Thursday, May 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E933-E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE NEED FOR URGENT ACTION TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 31, 2012

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated Earth Day with the 
slogan: One Billion People--192 Countries. During the celebration, 
people of different religious faiths in the United States and abroad 
participated, issuing proclamations on the moral imperative to be good 
stewards of the Earth and for action on climate change.
  Since Senator Gaylord Nelson first introduced the idea of Earth Day 
in 1969 here in Congress and founded the first Earth Day in 1970, we 
have come a long way. An estimated 20 million Americans participated in 
the first Earth Day. Each year since, Earth Day has been observed 
around the world.
  It is fitting that we remember that Senator Nelson's underlying 
premise behind creating ``a nationwide demonstration of concern for the 
environment'' was to heed the call to action. Just like 1970, Earth Day 
2012 comes at a time of great challenge for our nation and everyone on 
this planet.
  The climate is changing and will endanger the very future of our 
children and grandchildren. The buildup of greenhouse gases in the 
atmosphere as a result of human activities will lead to extraordinary 
heat waves, storms and floods will kill many people and harm many 
others. This increasing toll of death and destruction will not be 
limited to developing countries. Tropical diseases will increase their 
range of infection and exact their toll in human lives. Prolonged 
droughts will threaten the productivity of even our nation's 
agricultural lands. Ocean acidification will destroy coral reefs and 
the chain of sea life they support, endangering a leading food source 
for up to one-third of humanity.
  If coastal ice shelves in the Antarctic continue to disintegrate, sea 
levels will rise several meters this century. At such a rate, many of 
the world's great cities will face chronic floods and many coastal 
settlements will disappear. Large-scale human migrations in response to 
rising sea levels, food and water insecurity and other climate-induced 
stresses will impoverish many people and threaten our national 
security. An increasingly harsh climate will greatly endanger future 
generations' life expectancy and diminish everyone's quality of life. 
Mass extinction of species is a distinct possibility, leaving a far 
more desolate planet for our descendants than the world that we 
inherited.
  This is not just an environmental or ecological issue. It is a 
national security, food, water, and quality of life issue. Knowing 
these potentially disasterous outcomes and knowing we can avert many of 
them makes this a moral and ethical issue. And it is why I am pleased 
that religious leaders from many faiths are willing to back the 
resolution I am introducing today that calls on Congress to take 
immediate action on climate change. This resolution calls for action on 
the part of the House to ensure that the energy, environmental, 
agricultural, national security, and foreign policies of the United 
States reflect appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning 
issues related to climate change, as documented by

[[Page E934]]

credible scientific findings and as evidenced by the extreme weather 
events of recent years.
  Many faith traditions proclaim our moral obligation to be good 
stewards of the Earth and the imperative to act upon the climate 
crisis. It is a call to our shared existence and our interdependence 
upon God's creation that transcends political considerations. By 
failing to act on climate change, we unjustifiably cause human 
suffering and death, which many vulnerable peoples are experiencing 
now, and which may visit our children and future generations.
  It is a call to honor our moral obligation for equity and justice, 
which can be addressed by shifting to a sustainable, energy efficient 
and renewable energy economy that will create millions of good jobs and 
support healthy families and communities. Lastly, it is a call to 
protect the Earth, which is the source of all life. For, to disrupt the 
climate that is the cornerstone of all life and to squander the 
extraordinary abundance of life, diversity, and beauty of the planet is 
a moral failure of the first order.
  I applaud these organizations and communities of faiths who have 
joined together to advance this critically important issue. I also 
applaud their commitment to be true to their faith by recognizing that 
we have a moral obligation to be good stewards of the earth and all of 
its creatures and processes.
  I encourage my colleagues, to safeguard the welfare of the people of 
the United States by enacting policies that--
  reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency;
  shift the power supply strategy away from oil, coal, and natural gas 
to wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources to 
reduce dependence on fossil fuels;
  capture and store carbon by planting and greening urban landscapes 
and improving land and forest management practices;
  help people of the United States and abroad prepare for and withstand 
the significant impacts of climate change that are already occurring 
and that are likely to accelerate in years ahead; and
  support the prompt introduction and passage of legislation to achieve 
these goals.
  Again, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.

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