Press Release:
New Climate Solutions Project Launched
Unique Global Warming Group has Regional Focus
Submitted by
Climate Solutions on June 2, 1999
Olympia, WA -- Uniting more than 20 years of experience in the fields of global warming, clean energy, transportation and sprawl, the Atmosphere Alliance and Energy Outreach Center have merged to form Climate Solutions. The new organization, an Olympia, WA-based project of Earth Island Institute, aims to combat global warming by making the Pacific Northwest a world leader in practical and profitable solutions.
"Climate Solutions will organize around economic opportunities for the
region embedded in the climate crisis and educate people about the
environmental impacts of their choices," says Paul Horton, Co-Director of Climate Solutions. "We're convinced this is the most effective way we can help change public policy and transform markets."
Climate Solutions will:
- Educate Northwesterners about the realities of global warming;
- Advocate local, state and national policies to curb greenhouse gas
emissions, promote new-generation clean energy technologies, and encourage smart growth and transportation; and
- Provide citizens in the region access to practical opportunities to make a difference
Climate Solutions is working to implement a full-scale regional climate
change agenda. The group's newest report, In Hot Water, is due to be
released in late-June. By explaining regional climate change scenarios and the scientific advances on which they are grounded, the report will detail how global warming threatens the Pacific Northwest's economy, environment and quality of life.
The merger is timed to address unprecedented opportunities for elevating
awareness of global warming threats and solutions:
- A year of action centered on the theme of global warming and clean energy kicked off in April 1999, culminating in a massive mobilization for Earth Day 2000. This has potential to influence the national political debate in the 2000 presidential election year.
- The pre-eminent scientific body on global warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will issue its third five-year comprehensive report next year, presenting powerful new evidence of human-induced climate disruption.
- Clean energy is taking off. Wind energy and solar electric power are the world's fastest growing energy sources, fuel cell technologies are moving toward mass production, and auto manufacturers are racing to bring new gas-electric and fuel cell-powered vehicles to market.
Both Atmosphere Alliance and Energy Outreach Center have been working on
pieces of the puzzle for some time. Atmosphere Alliance has issued numerous reports on climate and energy and given presentations on global warming at numerous venues, including Science World in Vancouver, B.C., Microsoft and the University of Oregon. One report linking El Nino and global warming was excerpted in Sierra Magazine in 1998 and another, "How the Northwest Can Lead a Clean Energy Revolution," has drawn wide notice around the region and nation.
For 19 years, Energy Outreach Center has operated a walk-in sustainable
energy education center, which will continue under that name. In recent
years, EOC has expanded its focus to include land use and transportation
issues. Its recent report, "Road Relief," gained regional and national
attention for groundbreaking proposals to reduce traffic congestion through tax and pricing shifts.
The two groups have been sharing an Olympia office for the past four years, and informally cooperating for some time. Climate Solutions will operate as a project of Earth Island Institute. To receive more information or become involved, contact Rhys Roth or Paul Horton at (360) 352-1763.
Climate Solutions
(formerly Atmosphere Alliance and Energy Outreach Center)
610 E 4th Ave.
Olympia, WA 98501
Tel.: 360-352-1763 / Fax: 943-4977
E-mail: info@climatesolutions.org
Web: http://www.earthisland.org/atmosphere
