The Environmental Protection Agency is being called on to scientifically establish national safe limits for CO2 and other greenhouse gas pollutants using its existing authority under the Clean Air Act. In December 2009 the Center for Biological Diversity and 350.org formally petitioned the EPA to designate greenhouse gases as "criteria" air pollutants and cap atmospheric CO2 350 parts per million, the level that leading climate scientists have found is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
More than 100 organizations and many prominent scientists have signed on in support of the petition, including climate scientist James Hansen, ecologists Thomas Lovejoy and John Terborgh, and paleontologist Niles Eldredge. Now we are asking individuals to sign onto the petition with the goal of gathering 500,000 supporters. By setting science-based national greenhouse gas caps, the Obama administration will take an important step towards implementing rapid and deep cuts in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions using the proven pollution-reduction programs of the Clean Air Act. Please sign the petition calling on the EPA to set national pollution caps as required by science, law, and common sense to protect our climate and clean air. The petition can be found at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2773
