Climate Change Task Force Meets for the First Time

At its first meeting, the climate change task force heard a grim overview of the changing climate and how global warming may affect New Hampshire.
The most recent data shows that state emits about 23.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, the majority from electricity generation and transportation.
UNH Climate Scientist Cameron Wake, who sits on the task force, says a reasonable goal would be to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050 – which is what scientists worldwide have suggested.
(if we just reduce our emissions by three percent per year from the previous year’s emissions, we could obtain that goal and I think we could start off with a set of relatively straight forward strategies that actually end up saving us money because we become more energy efficient in the beginning to reduce our emissions)16
While that goal isn’t set in stone, the task force faces a huge undertaking in a short amount of time – a report is due on the Governor’s desk by September 1st.
Climate Program Specialist Chris Skoglund with the Department of Environmental Services says the task force must look at a number of pollutant-reducing strategies.
(We’ve compiled about 220 options that we can consider and the task force and working groups are going to be given an opportunity to amend that list, refine those options, and choose those that are most appropriate for the state that we can feasibly introduce and achieve our goals)14
Many of the strategies will likely take legislative action including changes in transportation policies, land use planning and waste management.
And whatever recommendations come from the plan, they’ll ultimately be non-binding.
But DES Commissioner Tom Burack assured the task force that global warming is too important an issue to be ignored.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.