GLOBAL WARMING: A THREAT NOT TO BE IGNORED
Human activities—particularly the burning of fossil fuels—have changed the composition of the atmosphere in ways that threaten dramatic alteration of the global climate. The first signs of warming are evident worldwide and additional changes will have serious impacts on our nation’s future.

Temperatures are rising, with 2006 the second hottest year on record in the United States [1]. Worldwide, 11 of the years from 1995 to 2006 to rank among the 12 warmest years on record. Sea level has risen 6.7 inches in the past century [2]. The number of Category 4 and Category 5 hurricanes has increased substantially worldwide over the last 35 years [3].

Future temperature increases and changes in precipitation patterns are expected to alter the distribution of plants and change crop productivity [4]. Higher sea levels may flood coastal areas, especially in Gulf Coast and South Atlantic states, causing property damage, eroding beaches and raising the salinity of drinking water supplies. Stronger storms may cause increased flooding on rivers and streams. Public health may suffer as heat-related deaths rise and insectborne diseases spread.

As the Bush administration has continued to resist meaningful measures to reduce global warming pollution, individual states have taken action, adopting a variety of measures to curb global warming pollution. Among the most effective of these policies are the vehicle global warming emission standards designed by the state of California and since adopted by 11 other states.

THE CLEAN CARS PROGRAM: REDUCING GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS
The Clean Air Act allows states with air quality problems to choose between federal vehicle emission standards and the more protective standards—known as the Clean Cars Program—implemented by the state of California.

Unlike current federal standards, the Clean Cars Program includes limits on global warming pollution. Beginning in model year 2009, the program will require automakers to reduce the average amount of global warming pollution from their cars, light trucks and SUVs. By 2015, new cars will be required to emit 34 percent less global warming pollution on average, and light trucks 25 percent less pollution [5]. These aggressive, yet achievable standards will result in significant reductions in global warming pollution.

To date, 12 states—California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington—have adopted the Clean Cars Program.

We tallied the benefits of the Clean Cars Program in those states as reported in state-specific analyses compiled by three different organizations: the California Air Resources Board, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), and U.S. PIRG Education Fund. Each report provided enough data to allow us to calculate emissions from light-duty vehicles with and without the Clean Cars Program (Table 1).

Light-duty vehicles in these 12 states are projected to release 443 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2020, the result of increasing vehicle travel, growing use of SUVs and light trucks, and stagnant fuel economy. By adopting the Clean Cars Program, annual emissions will be reduced by an average of 17 percent, to 369 MMTCO2 in 2020 (Table 1).

By 2020, vehicles in these 12 states will release 74 million metric tons of carbon dioxide less pollution as a result of the Clean Cars Program. Cumulative emission reductions from the inception of the program through 2020 are even greater, totaling 392 MMTCO2 [6].

What Is the Clean Cars Program?

The Clean Cars Program is a series of air pollution standards adopted by the state of California. The Clean Air Act allows other states with serious air pollution problems to adopt the standards as well. There are three components to the program:

The Low-Emission Vehicle program, which sets strong standards for emissions of smog-forming and toxic air pollutants.

The Zero-Emission Vehicle program, which promotes advanced-technology vehicles such as hybrids, fuel-cell vehicles and electric vehicles.

Global Warming Emission Standards, which limit emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming.

The combined global warming pollution reduction from the 12 states that have adopted the program is significant on a global scale.

The annual savings projected for 2020 are greater the national global warming emissions from Austria and 170 other countries today [8]. (See Figure 1)

The cumulative global warming emission reduction from the program between 2009 and 2020 is equivalent to taking 74 million of today’s cars off the road for an entire year [9].

The emission reductions in 2020 are equal to a 6.6 percent reduction in current national emissions from transportation gasoline use [10].

Depending on how automakers choose to comply with the standards, the Clean Cars Program in 12 states could lead to a reduction in gasoline use of as much as 8.3 billion gallons annually in 2020—or more than one-fifth as much oil as we currently import from the Persian Gulf [13]. Put another way, the standards would save as much fuel as if all drivers in America parked their cars for 22 days out of the year or if 14 million of today’s cars were taken off the road [14]. This is more gasoline than is currently used by any single state in a year except Florida, Texas, and California [15].

If 18 states adopt the program, gasoline consumption would decline by 11.2 billion gallons, or nearly enough gasoline to provide fuel to all the drivers in Texas for a year.

Reduced gasoline consumption could also translate into consumer savings at the pump. At today’s average fuel prices ($3.10 per gallon), consumers could save up to $25.8 billion at the pump in 2020 [16]. These savings would more than offset the additional cost of vehicles complying with the program. The state of California projects that vehicle owners will save a total of $41 to $81 each year due to the standards—and that is assuming gasoline costs only $1.74 per gallon [17].

STATES MUST BE FREE TO ACT
States’ freedom to adopt California air emission standards has led to cleaner air and technological advances that have benefited all Americans. The federal government should not interfere with their progress and should grant California’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver so that the states can implement the Clean Cars Program.

The 12 states that have adopted the Clean Cars Program have taken leadership in reducing America’s contribution to global warming. The federal government should follow their lead by limiting global warming pollution from cars, power plants, and factories and taking other steps to reduce global warming pollution, save energy, and save consumers money at the pump.