Reducing Emissions Doesn't Kill the Economy!

An article in the Portland Tribune details the fact that greenhouse gas emissions in Multnomah County, Oregon, are just 0.1 percent above 1990 levels despite 15 percent population growth. It shows great progress toward the county's stated goal of complying with the Kyoto Protocol, which in industrialized countries mandates emission levels slightly below 1990 levels by 2010. The City of Portland has made the same commitment, and actually has an Office of Sustainability in City Hall. (I heard the office's director make a presentation awhile back, and was very impressed.)

If you read the article, you'll see there are those who disagree somewhat with the numbers, but the trend is unquestioned. One interesting tidbit is that gasoline sales in Oregon have remained flat while skyrocketing in other states. Rational, compact land use planning keeps more land available for farming and wildlife. and improves quality of life by reducing sprawl, but it also helps with global warming because people don't need to drive as much.

Our president has refused to ratify Kyoto and has done next to nothing to address global warming--at a crucial time for our planet. While Kyoto has its problems, it's a place to start. Portland has achieved virtual compliance with Kyoto while remaining among the top U.S. metro areas in terms of high-wage job growth and other economic quality-of-life indicators. It's really possible, and it's time we did this on a national basis.