The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new report today detailing the costs and benefits of various policies to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report, part of a series by IPCC on climate change, discusses that future emissions could be controlled using current technology with reasonable costs. This includes more fuel efficient cars, improving energy efficiency and increases in recycling and waste minimization. BBC News reports.

The growth in greenhouse gas emissions can be curbed at reasonable cost, experts at a major UN climate change conference in Bangkok have agreed.

Boosting renewable energy, reducing deforestation and improving energy efficiency can all help, they said.
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The report suggests that if major climate impacts are to be avoided, global emissions should peak and begin declining within one or two decades.

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Read the IPCC Report

CAW is currently working on issues to help curb greenhouse gas emissions, which include increasing lighting efficiency and increasing recycling opportunities in the state. AB 1109 (Huffman) would encourage the use of more efficient lighting technologies and help reduce energy use, while also increase recycling opportunities for hazardous lighting. Reducing energy demand will eliminate the associated pollution, which include SO_X, NO_X, CO₂ and mercury emissions from coal-fired and other energy plants. A preliminary analysis suggests that achievement of the AB 1109 energy efficiency goals can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 6,000,000 tons.

AB 548 (Levine) would expand recycling to multi-family dwellings, which in turn could divert up to an additional 329,000 tons of recyclable materials. This increased recycling will help in reducing GHG emissions by nearly one million tons.

What You Can Do

• TAKE Action and write letters in support of AB 1109 and AB 548.
• Read more about what CAW is doing to reduce GHG emissions.
• Start making a difference by learning to live green!