Global warming is no longer a problem to be answered in the future-it must be addressed today.

Science confirms that global warming is real, present and caused by human activity. The International Panel on Climate Change warns that, without intervention, temperatures may increase more than 10°F by the end of this century. As the world grows hotter, water resources will become scarcer and more seasonal. Increasingly frequent heat waves will be accompanied by intense storms, dangerous floods and severe drought.

We must act quickly to prevent these worst-case scenarios, and we should begin by rethinking our energy sources. Currently, we rely almost exclusively on fossil fuel and nuclear energy production methods, which accelerate climate change while contaminating our water resources with ionizing radiation, heavy metals and chemical pollution. In addition, these established energy production methods rely on a steady and reliable supply of water. In fact, the Department of Energy confirms energy production is the second highest water user in the country, exceeded only by agriculture. As global warming worsens and droughts becomes more common, our existing power plants may not be able to secure enough water to support energy production.

Solutions for a New Energy Economy

The IPCC warns that we must decrease our greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 in order to avoid the worst effects of global warming. We can reach this goal by developing a new energy economy and the policies to support this move. We must:

• Dramatically reduce our current reliance on fossil fuel based energy sources.
• Make the switch renewable energy sources for electricity, such as wind and solar.
• Increase efficiency and use of alternative fuel sources in the transportation sector and increase use of public transportation.
• Institute immediate energy efficiency and conservation measures, which reap benefits quickly and economically.
• End Oil Subsidies NOW!

Developing a New Energy Economy

As we develop a new energy economy, we will face challenging decisions about energy production and consumption. Our current fossil fuel driven energy industry contributes daily to accelerating global warming through the emissions of climate-altering gases. These same power plants taint our drinking water and damage essential habitats with heavy metals and chemical pollution. Finally, global warming has already begun to affect our water supplies, which will only become more limited. This means we must identify energy sources that are not dependent upon consistent, reliable water supplies. In fact, many of our current energy sources will no longer be available as water grows scarcer.

The Problems with Coal

Approximately half of U.S. electricity is generated by coal burning power plants. A typical 500 megawatt coal power plant uses more than 2 billion gallons of water each year. This water is used to wash coal, cool the power plant, drive power-generating turbines and clean emissions. In total, there are more than 500 coal-burning power plants located throughout the United States, which rely on more than 1 trillion gallons of water every year.

Carbon Capture & Sequestration: Policy Consideration

Advocates of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for power plants see it as a way to continue to burn fossil fuels like coal while meeting restrictions on heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution. The capture and storage processes pose very real challenges to water resources, and there are other natural resource and public health considerations. It is imperative that potential impacts of these processes are understood and that strict government policies are in place before commercialization of this technology. To learn more:

• Clean Water Action's Position on Carbon Capture and Storage/Geologic Storage, Spring 2011 (pdf 53kb)
• Carbon Capture and Geologic Storage: Risks to Public Health and Water Resources
• Clean Water Fund White Paper on Carbon Capture and Storage - Policy Considerations, April 2011 (pdf 125kb)
• March 2011 NGO Letter on Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Exemption for Geologic Sequestration (pdf 57kb)
• Environmental NGO Comments on Draft EPA Rule for Geologic Sequestration Wells – December 2008 (pdf 276kb)

The Problems with Nuclear

Nuclear power plants, which supply approximately 20% of U.S. electricity, use billions of gallons of water every day to absorb excess heat, maintain safe operating temperatures and drive steam-powered turbines. As environmental water levels drop due to climate change, drought or increased competing demand, many nuclear reactors may not be able to harvest sufficient quantities of water. 24 of the United States' 104 active nuclear reactors are sited in regions experiencing severe drought. Already, the Tennessee Valley Authority was forced to temporarily shut down an Alabama-based nuclear plant due to water restrictions during summer 2007.

The Problems with Ethanol

One gallon of corn-based ethanol, which relies heavily on irrigation and chemical fertilizers, requires more than 1,000 gallons of water to produce and dramatically increases water pollution via runoff.

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