New England can lead fight against global warming

Countless autumn travelers have trekked to New England when, as Rudyard Kipling once noted, the hillsides are “set afire” in a sea of crimson and gold. Unfortunately, however, increasing evidence shows that because of global warming future generations may never have a chance to experience these wonders. But instead of looking the other way, a group of policymakers from across New England has banded together in an effort to make sure this day never comes.

Because of global warming, widespread and costly impacts could hit the region hard. According to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, New England could experience a 10-30 percent increase in precipitation and an overall temperature increase of 6-10 degrees by 2090 – a greater climate variation than any the region has

seen over the past 10,000 years.

In this drastically different climate of tomorrow, maples would fade from our hillsides as oak and hickory trees became the dominant species. The pride of farmers for generations, New England pure maple syrup could become a memory if global warming remains unchecked. And like the sugar maples, seasonal leaf peepers would also increasingly migrate north to Canada as the fall frosts so vital in creating the fiery hillsides immortalized by Kipling, Thoreau and others become a thing of the past.

Although a few might miss the traditional winds and snows that have made New England winters so famous, New Englanders surely would miss the annual tourist dollars. Not counting the adverse economic impact of climate change on New England’s agriculture, conservative estimates show that a 50 percent drop in fall tourism could cost the region nearly 20,000 jobs alone. Unfortunately, though, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Indeed, according to a recent study commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, global warming over the coming century could cost local cities like Boston as much as $94 billion. Through increased flooding and changes in seasonal weather patterns, researchers in the five-year study found that climate change will impose increased demands on building upkeep, emergency services and energy consumption throughout the region. Luckily, however, New Englanders have never been inclined to sit and wait while danger mounts. The gathering threat of global warming is no different.

Under the banner of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a coalition of nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states is working together to combat this threat. Initiated in 2003 by New York Gov. George Pataki, the initiative is working to design a regional cap-and-trade program to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. To achieve this, the RGGI coalition seeks to curb emissions from power plants, while maintaining energy affordability, reliability and accommodating the diversity in policies and programs in each state.

Some have castigated this initiative as an example of “liberal” New England policymaking at its worst. To the contrary, not only is this bipartisan initiative an example of New England policymakers at their best, but a model I believe that leaders in Washington would be wise to follow.

The approach embodied in the RGGI process brings together several New England traditions – an appreciation of our interconnection with nature, the power of collective action and the importance of meeting dangers while they gather. The initiative has also served as a valuable tool to promote cooperation and dialogue with interested stakeholders in the business community and nonprofit sector. And as climate change will impact all New Englanders, collaborative approaches that harness our collective strengths are the only chance we have to combat this threat.

On a cold December night in 1773 a small band of New Englanders, in a historic act of civil disobedience, decided to throw a little party. In the course of a couple hours, the Sons of Liberty had emptied 342 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor and changed the world forever.

While some may think that Pataki and his fellow governors leading the RGGI process are rebels without a cause, waiting for leadership from Washington is folly. As the Sons of Liberty proved almost 300 years ago, what may seem like a small symbolic act can one day change the world. If a revolution is going start in the fight against global warming, there’s no better place than New England.

Rick Russman is a former Republican state senator from New Hampshire who has been active in environmental policy issues.