Governor Mark Sanford has accepted the report of his Climate, Energy and Commerce Advisory Committee (CECAC), a group tasked with reviewing possible climate change impacts in South Carolina and formulating strategies to address those changes going forward.
Among the report's recommendations are:
Carbon Footprint: A voluntary reduction in state carbon emissions to 5 percent below the 1990 level by 2020.Energy: Nuclear fuel reprocessing, focusing on bringing renewable generators to the state, and expanded use of net metering.Transportation: Expanded bike and pedestrian opportunities, alternative fuel infrastructure, more mass transit and carpooling options.Agriculture, Forestry and Waste Management: Forestland conservation and methane reclamation projects.
South Carolina's gross emissions of greenhouse gases grew by 39 percent between 1990 and 2005, twice the national average of 16 percent, while the state's per-capita emissions increased 15 percent over the same time frame. By 2025 greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase 87 percent over 1990 levels.
In addition to climate change, the report also talks about the importance of renewable energy. In 1970, the United States imported 24 percent of its oil, and today is importing nearly 70 percent. The United States consumes about 25 percent of the world's oil production despite having only 4 percent of the world population.
