"This is a crucially important issue — the most important issue for the whole planet," said Jewish Council for Public Affairs Washington director Hadar Susskind. "If we don’t do this, none of the others matter."
He’s talking about the narrow passage Friday by the House of Representatives of energy and climate legislation, which will require reductions in U.S. carbon emissions, create a cap-and-trade system for emission permits and provide incentives for the use of "clean" power.
Susskind said JCPA worked hard to pass the bill, pulling out the "big guns" — board members, community relations council directors — who had relationships with House members that were on the fence to make calls.
In addition to bolstering the environment, Susskind said the bill should both enhance "energy security" by helping to wean the United States off foreign oil and promote economic growth by providing training for "green jobs."
While some activists have said the bill doesn’t go far enough in reducing energy use and emissions, Susskind noted that legislation received 219 votes — meaning that anything much stronger couldn’t have passed.
He added that this was the first piece of climate legislation ever passed by a house of Congress and that it is unlikely to be the last time Congress takes up the issue. The bill is expected to come up in the Senate later in the year.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism also lobbied for the bill and lauded its passage.
"While it does not go far enough, the bi-partisan American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) creates an important framework for drastically reducing global warming pollution, creating hundreds of thousands of good, green jobs, and increasing access to clean energy," said RAC director Rabbi David Saperstein.
"We are encouraged by the inclusion of strong consumer protections for low-income individuals and families, and by the addition of provisions that target traditionally underrepresented populations to benefit from the growth of the green economy. However, we remain disappointed by the failure to secure adequate resources to help the most vulnerable developing nations adapt to the effects of climate change, which they are already encountering daily," Saperstein said in a statement.
The RAC’s full statement is after the jump, as well as the statement of the Coaltion on the Environment and Jewish Life: [[READMORE]]
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 29, 2009 – Following Friday’s House of Representatives’ passage of comprehensive climate and energy legislation, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
The Reform Movement has long called on Congress to take action on the climate and energy crisis. The historic House vote last Friday represents an important first step toward protecting our environment and all its inhabitants. Reform Jews across the nation worked to strengthen and pass this vital bill, and we applaud the 219 Members of Congress who voted last Friday on behalf of the long-term environmental, economic, and public health of our nation. While it does not go far enough, the bi-partisan American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) creates an important framework for drastically reducing global warming pollution, creating hundreds of thousands of good, green jobs, and increasing access to clean energy.
Our texts and our scholars teach of the need to be good caretakers both of God’s earth and its resources, and of the needy and vulnerable among us. While H.R. 2454 is a promising start, much work remains to be done. We are encouraged by the inclusion of strong consumer protections for low-income individuals and families, and by the addition of provisions that target traditionally underrepresented populations to benefit from the growth of the green economy. However, we remain disappointed by the failure to secure adequate resources to help the most vulnerable developing nations adapt to the effects of climate change, which they are already encountering daily.
We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and Administration, and our allies in the faith, environmental, labor, and business communities to strengthen and pass comprehensive climate and energy legislation this year. Passage of this vital bill shows that we can tackle climate change in a way that protects our planet and the poorest and most vulnerable members of society, in our nation and around the world.
And COEJL:
The U.S. House of Representatives’ move on Friday to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act is a necessary first step in confronting climate change, said a leading Jewish environmental advocacy organization.
Approved on Friday afternoon, the American Clean Energy & Security Act would curb U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions and mandate that 15% of the nation’s electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2020. The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), a program of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, hailed last week’s vote for being a welcomed first step to curb climate change.
“Genesis says ‘the Eternal placed the human being in the Garden of Eden to till and to tend it.’ Throughout history, this duty has been followed with varying levels of attention,” said Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. “We have only been given one world to live in and for too long humanity has not done its part to ‘till and tend’ the earth for future generations. We must do a better job in reducing air pollution, cleaning up rivers and streams, and protecting the wilderness. Congress’ vote this week to move forward with the climate bill was a good first step.”
In a May conference hosted by COEJL, Jewish leaders from major organizations came together to take first steps in greening their synagogues in building design and operations, encouraging members of congregations to conserve energy at home and on the road, and committing their organizations to reducing their environmental footprint.
The House approved the American Clean Energy & Security Act by a vote of 219 to 212. The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
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