ARIZONA

With record fuel and energy prices, Arizona cannot afford to ignore the threat of global climate change. We can boost our economy by implementing a renewable-energy strategy. With a $300 billion investment over ten years, the US economy will see 3.3 million new jobs and a $1.4 trillion GDP gain, along with $284 billion in net energy cost savings. (i)

Climate change is likely to affect our water supplies in Arizona. More evaporation would lead to lower lake levels, and groundwater levels would likely drop as well. Global warming can also increase our susceptibility to severe weather events. With more extreme heat in the summer, cities like Tucson would be vulnerable to flash flooding from storms. (ii)

The heart of these problems is our dependence on fossil fuels for energy. Arizona currently gets much of its power from coal, a dirty, non-renewable energy source. (iii)

But with a new push for climate action, we can move Arizona toward a clean, renewable energy economy that will bring jobs to the state.

Arizona has the potential to achieve 195% of its power from renewable energy! (iv)

Arizona has already been working in the fight against climate change. By exceeding the standards of the Western Climate Initiative, Arizona has pledged to reduce global warming pollution to 2000 levels by 2020 and 50% below 2000 levels by 2040. (v)

But we must not stop here. It’s going to take strong leadership to continue the fight against global warming.

SOURCES:

i. http://www.apolloalliance.org/downloads/resources_ApolloReport_022404_122748.pdf

ii. http://www.nextgenerationearth.org/usstates/statelist/

iii. http://getenergyactive.org/fuel/state.htm

iv. http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/clean_energy/Plugging_In_Renewable_Energy.pdf

v. http://www.azclimatechange.gov/download/082207_statement.pdf