States Respond to Climate Change Crisis

New Jersey enacted into legislation the Global Warming Response Act, becoming the third state to enact law that will require a reduction in green house gas emissions, after California and Hawaii. All three laws require the state to reduce its emissions to below 1990 levels by 2020. ENS reports that eight other states are debating similar legislation: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.

It took the tremendous efforts of community, faith-based, and union activists winning passage of minimum wage laws in six states for Congress to debate the federal minimum wage. How many states must pass this type of legislation for Congress to enact strict green house gas reductions targets? These emission reduction targets are critical in addressing the climate change crisis. The impacts wrought by climate change have begun and will severely impact water resources.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will publish a technical paper in November on water and climate change. Mitigating climate change with efforts like New Jersey's is essential -- 2 billion people know it. According to former Vice President Al Gore, more than 2 billion people participated in the LIVE EARTH concerts this past weekend. How many will it take? And how many more to enact legislation to enforce the right to water to ensure that even with climate change, everyone has access to safe, sufficient, affordable water for their daily needs? How many?