I am appalled at President-elect George Bush’s nominee for the energy secretary. The nation’s energy policy is critically important. It includes directing the deregulated electric and natural gas industries, transportation, as well as effects the gross domestic product, global warming and national security issues.

Michigan’s former senator, Spencer Abraham, actively supported shutting down the Department of Energy just a short period ago. He does not support energy conservation, renewable energy research, nor progressive transportation development.

His main credentials for being appointed are because he was an out- of-work Republican Party loyalist. The logic for picking him has been explained that Abraham is from Michigan. Cars are produced in Michigan, and they use petroleum; therefore he is the new national energy czar. Bush’s logic is flawed and the results could create catastrophes of epic dimensions.

The United States consumes more that one-quarter of the planet’s energy and produces a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions. Our gross national product relies much more heavily on energy consumption than the other developed countries with similar standards of living to ours. The countries of the world with higher standards of living than the United States, utilize only fraction of the energy manufacturing their products that we do. Because they use more energy efficient technologies, their products cost less to make.

In our efforts to remain globally competitive, we have to have lower energy costs and consume more fuel. This is one of the reasons why the U.S. consumes more fuel and is the planet’s largest polluter.

The latest DOE U.S. energy consumption forecasts are scary. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is six times what it was before the industrial revolution. There is scientific consensus that carbon dioxide levels have a direct effect on the Earth’s temperature, that the temperature of the Earth has on average increased by more than a degree this century, that the oceans are rising due to the polar ice caps melting and it is likely that the temperature will rise 3 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 50 years based on projected energy consumption.

Though this may not sound like huge increases, it will greatly effect critical areas in the country and around the globe. This is why the rest of the world was so upset at us last month at the United Nations Conference on Climate in the Hague for failing to step up to the plate with plans to meet our agreed upon reduction goal as established with the Kyoto Protocol. In Kyoto, Japan, the United States had agreed to reduce emissions below 1990 levels by 7 percent during the period 2008 to 2012.

The United States must curb its appetite for fossil fuel. We must use more renewable energy resources (like solar, hydropower, wind and biomass), but most importantly we must become more energy efficient.

To make our economy become less energy dependent, we need strong national energy policies. Meeting and surpassing the Kyoto Protocol climate protecting targets will save fuel costs, and therefore should make our industries more efficient and competitive in the global marketplace. Our national policies should make protecting the environment advantageous to our businesses’ financial viability.

The largest hurdle the United States has in creating an adequate societal response to global warming is in perceiving that we are the largest problem, and that the solution is just good business. I do not believe Abraham is the man capable of (or motivated toward) doing the job that needs to be done. If you feel the same way, please contact your representatives.

Michael J. Mayhew is a professional engineer, energy consultant and graduate candidate with the University of Maine’s Department of Resource Economics and Policy.