Turning Up the Heat
January 11, 2013
Coming off the hottest year on record across the United States and in Vermont, Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Friday that he will introduce legislation to move aggressively to reverse global warming. “The scientific data is clear that global warming is real and significantly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels,” Sanders said. “After the hottest year on record, we must take strong action to transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and move toward energy efficiency and sustainable energy,” Sanders added. “I intend to introduce legislation in the Senate to do just that.”
Sanders’ legislation will include a transparent fee on greenhouse gas emissions from the biggest polluters. It will call for an historic investment in efficiency, sustainable energy, advanced transportation infrastructure, and clean energy research and development. The measure also would end fossil fuel subsidies and tax breaks.
The annual U.S. temperature last year was 55.32 degrees Fahrenheit, a full degree warmer than the old record set in 1998, the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., announced on Tuesday. Scientists say the temperature increases are happening faster than they expected and that the warming trend is a result of climate change caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
The National Weather Service said 2012 was the warmest year on record in Burlington. Last year’s mean temperature was 50 degrees. The previous record, 48.4 degrees, was set in 1998.
