by Ron McLinden
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What’s this? The Sierra Club moving away from its traditional focus on wilderness and public lands?
Not really. Deliberations at last year’s Sierra Summit revealed an overwhelming sentiment that the greatest threat to the wilderness that we cherish—and, indeed, perhaps to all of humanity—is global warming. Nearly every day brings fresh evidence that the world’s climate is changing, perhaps more rapidly than we have heretofore realized. The consequences could be huge—and they will likely fall most heavily on some of the world’s least advantaged peoples.
The greatest potential for slowing or mitigating climate change is to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gasses from burning fossil fuels. Our government barely acknowledges climate change—resolving merely to study what’s happening and what technological fixes might be concocted—so it’s up to the rest of us to take the lead.
In Missouri our principal action on global warming is to promote renewable energy—in part through a renewable energy standard—and energy efficiency as alternatives to construction of new coal burning power plants. Our successful challenge to the secrecy of AmerenUE’s “integrated resources plan” should enable us to focus additional attention on efficiency and renewables. And activists are working to get additional mayors to sign the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. As time goes on we’ll pursue other strategies as well.
The road ahead is challenging. By credible estimates, global oil production is nearing its peak while global demand continues to climb. As a result, the price of oil and oil-based products—as well as every other form of energy—will continue to climb.
Meeting the global warming / energy challenge will require stronger advocacy, both in the public arena and in courts of law. Meeting the challenge will also require a still-not-clearly-defined call to restraint in our personal use of energy.
As the Sierra Club asserts its leadership on these issues we’ll find ourselves doing more with the third part of our mission statement: to “educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.”
Now, more than ever, the nation needs the Sierra Club, its values, and its energy. And the Sierra Club needs your commitment of time and resources.