Plans to Fight Global Warming
By Tammy Mori
The issues of global warming and renewable energy are now in the international spotlight.
Leaders from sixteen different economies met in Honolulu to discuss future option, and that two day conference wrapped up tonight.
All over the world we're feeling the impacts of climate change, or global warming.
And experts say in order to limit the rise in the global temperature, we'll need to reduce carbon emissions worldwide by at least 50-percent by 2050.
The leaders in this room represent 80-percent of the worlds energy use and 80-percent of greenhouse gas emission..
So their discussions are aimed at one thing.
"To result in a decision in 2009 for long term cooperative action," says James Connaughton, White House Council on Environmental Quality.
They need to decide how to collectively cut carbon emissions in half, by increasing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energies.
And that global committment, starts in our own backyard.
"Hawaii, I'm not proud to say, is the most oil dependent state in America," says Governor Linda Lingle.
More than 90-percent or our energy supply is being imported.
"Also have the highest utility rates anywhere in america and highest gasoline rate," adds Lingle.
The Governor says our state is working towards changing that reality by finding innovative ways to convert our natural resources like sun, wind, waves into energy.
"Next week, a major announcement about wave energy project off maui coast," she continues.
And our state just signed an initiative early this week with the Department of Energy- promising some changes
"70-percent of all our energy coming from clean energy coming from one generation," explains Lingle.
But this reduction in carbon emissions will not mean anything in a global sense unless others take the same initiative
"Our success as a world will increase exponentially when we work together," says Lingle.
And that's something this group of United Nations leaders says they are committed to doing.
"It goes 2 ways, government can take action, but citizens can take action as well," says Connaughton.
This international council will be meeting again in France this April.
Leaders from sixteen different economies met in Honolulu to discuss future option, and that two day conference wrapped up tonight.
All over the world we're feeling the impacts of climate change, or global warming.
And experts say in order to limit the rise in the global temperature, we'll need to reduce carbon emissions worldwide by at least 50-percent by 2050.
The leaders in this room represent 80-percent of the worlds energy use and 80-percent of greenhouse gas emission..
So their discussions are aimed at one thing.
"To result in a decision in 2009 for long term cooperative action," says James Connaughton, White House Council on Environmental Quality.
They need to decide how to collectively cut carbon emissions in half, by increasing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energies.
And that global committment, starts in our own backyard.
"Hawaii, I'm not proud to say, is the most oil dependent state in America," says Governor Linda Lingle.
More than 90-percent or our energy supply is being imported.
"Also have the highest utility rates anywhere in america and highest gasoline rate," adds Lingle.
The Governor says our state is working towards changing that reality by finding innovative ways to convert our natural resources like sun, wind, waves into energy.
"Next week, a major announcement about wave energy project off maui coast," she continues.
And our state just signed an initiative early this week with the Department of Energy- promising some changes
"70-percent of all our energy coming from clean energy coming from one generation," explains Lingle.
But this reduction in carbon emissions will not mean anything in a global sense unless others take the same initiative
"Our success as a world will increase exponentially when we work together," says Lingle.
And that's something this group of United Nations leaders says they are committed to doing.
"It goes 2 ways, government can take action, but citizens can take action as well," says Connaughton.
This international council will be meeting again in France this April.
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