What's at Stake
Climate change is the single greatest threat to South Carolina’s cultural heritage, economic vitality, and ecological diversity - in short, to the quality of life that makes South Carolina unique. From the state’s low-lying coast to the drought-stricken cities of the Piedmont, every part of the state is at risk for cataclysmic disruption of the ecosystems we have long taken for granted. Awareness is growing rapidly among political and business leaders that we must act now to address climate change, before the window of opportunity closes and we are forced to live with the consequences.
South Carolina’s conservation community has dedicated considerable resources to cultivating awareness and advocating for action on climate change. Circumstances are now favorable for a dramatic increase in both the scope and scale of our efforts. Today, a diverse coalition of faith, business, and political leaders is working to capitalize on this hard-won awareness, with the goal of leapfrogging South Carolina into a position of regional climate leadership. South Carolina has the potential to demonstrate to the Southeast and to the nation as a whole that market-based solutions offer us the best chance of meeting the challenge of climate change.
Challenges
Despite abundant renewable resources, our state relies heavily on polluting, out-of-state fuel sources to meet its energy needs. For example, $740 million leaves our state each year in order to buy Appalachian coal to fuel our dirty coal plants. Out-of-state special interests have already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to convince South Carolinians of two myths: first, that coal is “clean,” and second, that coal is essential to South Carolina’s energy future. Economists and renewable business entrepreneurs disagree, and have demonstrated conclusively that our state has the efficiency and renewable energy potential to power our growing needs in ways that are cheaper, cleaner and more efficient for our state’s economy than continued reliance on dirty coal.
Next Steps
Play a lead role in educating executive and legislative staff about climate strategies, with the goal of developing a state energy strategy and building support for clean energy legislation.
Advocate vigorously for efficiency and renewables and against additional coal-fired electricity generation. Eliminate the need for the construction of new coal plants by developing alternative energy sources.
Work with corporate partners to position South Carolina as a leader in the emerging biomass, solar and wind markets by promoting legislation that creates incentives and tax breaks for in-state energy producers.
Partner with the homebuilding industry to promote Earth Craft certified construction as a strategy for reducing the cost of home ownership, and make energy efficient construction the industry standard in South Carolina.
For more information:
John Ramsburgh, Sierra Club, 803-256-8474.
Jennifer Rennicks, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, 828-254-6776
Fast Facts
Greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, emitted primarily by motor vehicles and power plants, are changing the Earth’s climate.
If SC were a country, we would be the 38th largest contributor of carbon emissions in the world.
With over 3,000 miles of tidal shoreline, SC is especially vulnerable to the threat of rising seas.
In Charleston, sea level rise associated with global warming is occurring at 9 inches per century.
A bipartisan poll in 2007 found that while Republicans and Democrats disagree on the cause of climate change, a majority of both agree that urgent action is needed to reduce carbon emissions.