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Hawkins Says Clinton Puts Fundraising Efficiency Before Fuel Efficiency
Calls for Emergency Transition to Renewable Energy to Stop Global Warming |
For immediate release: November 1, 2006
For more information: Howie Hawkins, (315) 425-1019
Sally Kim, (518) 364-2968
Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for US Senate, said today that Hillary Clinton's massive corporate fundraising explains her failure to support a rapid transition to renewable energy and energy conservation to stop global warming.
Hawkins called for Congress to pass legislation to reduce carbon emissions by 70% in ten years. He said this goal, which is what leading climate scientists say is necessary to stabilize the global climate, should take priority over the special interests of the auto, oil, nuclear, and suburban developer industries.
Hawkins also wants to cut the military budget by $300 billion annually and invest it in a public works program to develop renewable energy and energy conservation around the world. Hawkins said his plan for a global emergency transition from fossil and nuclear fuels to renewable energy would "create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in New York retrofitting our buildings, industries, and infrastructure for the efficient use of renewable energy. Such an investment would also be far more effective in promoting world peace and national security than the so-called war on terror promoted by Bush and Clinton. The United States would make friends by sharing technology instead of making enemies in wars for oil in the Middle East and Central Asia."
"Clinton is more interested in fundraising efficiency than in fuel efficiency," Hawkins stated. "She panders to corporate interests. She wants to fund renewable energy with tax breaks for the giant oil, nuclear, and auto corporations instead of setting standards they must meet at their own expense. Clinton says she wants to negotiate with auto companies to get them to improve fuel efficiency. This continues the reversal of the policy of government mandated performance standards for environmental impacts that started with the Nixon administration, and which Jimmy Carter extended to fuel efficiency standards. This remained standard environmental policy through the first Bush Presidency. It was the Clinton administration in the 1990s that switched from performance standards to so-called voluntary compliance, which failed miserably as an environmental policy in everything from protecting old growth forests to increasing fuel efficiency. The second Bush presidency has continued this approach and now Hillary Clinton wants to extend it further," added Hawkins.
Hawkins also called for increased investment in mass transit, light rails, inter-city freight and passenger trains, hybrid vehicles, and improved tires. He proposed carbon-based eco-taxes on vehicles to encourage high efficiency.
"The bottom line is the America can no longer be the energy hogs of the world. We can't all drive to work in single passenger gas-guzzlers. We have to aggressively stop urban sprawl. We need to mandate energy efficient buildings, lighting, and appliances. We have to require industries to use renewable energy and combined heat and power, and to increase production efficiency. We have to promote sustainability. Otherwise our grandchildren will condemn us for refusing to take action even when the dangers of inaction are so clear," Hawkins said.
"The positive side is that we can create jobs for all rebuilding our energy infrastructure and urban structures around the sustainable use of renewable resources. It is a chance to rebuild our towns and cities around designs that promote vibrant neighborhoods and communities, with homes, work,
schools, and shopping all within walking distance," Hawkins added.
The Boston Globe blasted Hillary Clinton in an April 17 editorial as a "climate change no-show." Hillary was part of the inner circle of Bill Clinton's administration that bullied the world with arm-twisting and horse-trading to water down the Kyoto Accords, and then failed to submit it to the US Senate for ratification. Earlier this year she refused to sign a letter from all the Democratic US Senators, except her and John Kerry, asking the EPA for a waiver to allow California, New York, Massachusetts, and several other states to set carbon reduction goals higher than the federal goals.
"Climate change, especially if unchecked, will have a major negative impact on agriculture production in New York and on coastal areas around New York City and Long Island. It will produce heat waves and increased storm severity. The flooding patterns we saw in the Southern Tier and Central New York this year will become more common. The ocean storm surges downstate will be devastating, resulting in significant loss of life and property. If we continue with the same old policies that pander to corporate interests as Clinton proposes, we are doomed to an ecological Armageddon due to climate change," warned Hawkins.
A recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists outlined major climate changes that will take place in the northeast in the coming decades. While global warming is too far along to avoid all changes, the actions taken by state and federal government in the next few years will determine how devastating the changes are. By the end of the century, if only limited action is taken, New York will have a climate more similar to present day South Carolina, with annual droughts, months of summer temperatures consistently in excess of 90 degrees, and a possible rise in the sea level of more than 20 feet if the ice caps melt. While rainfall levels might similar to today, rain would come less frequently, but in heavier storms, leading to increased flooding, followed by periods of drought.
"Human beings should be smart enough to take corrective action when we realize that we are heating up to planet to the point where it will increasingly become unlivable. The problem is that short-term profits and campaign contributions too often get in the way of common sense. Let us hope that the collapse of our civilization is not the result. If we learn the lessons of human history, which show how so many civilizations were destroyed by undermining their ecological base, we will put our common interest in long-term survival before the giant corporations' interest in short-term profits," noted Hawkins. |
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 *Website by David Doonan, Labor Donated to Hawkins for Senate Campaign* |
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