INTRODUCTION: THE 002 ISSUE The CO2 Issue. produced by Greening Earth Society. provides valuable information on the environmental and political issues surrounding increasing levels of CO2 in our biosphere. Many policy makers. environmentalists and others believe that rising CO2 concentrations will severely damage our planet by causing apocalyptic global warming. Such predictions have been publicized widely and generate unnecessary fear among the public. Greening Earth Society was formed to shed light on the truth about CO2?that it has always been a part of life on earth and is an essential nutrient for plant, animal and human life. The C02 issue has important consequences for our world's economic growth, since we depend on fossil fuel combustion. which unavoidably creates CO2. Greening Earth Society. a creation of Western Fuels Association. is convinced that citizens who understand the benefits of fossil fuels and the positive effects of C02 on the earth will make decisions that benefit both humankind and the planet. To this end, Greening Earth Society is a vehicle to provide sound information about C02 and fossil fuels to educators, students, businesses and media representatives. community leaders and policy makers. We have produced numerous publications. including the biweekly Climate Report and the annual State of the Climate Report, and two videos. "The Greening of Planet Earth" and "The Greening of Plant Earth Continues." We invite you to learn more about the bene?ts of C02 through our Web site at ww.greeningearthsociety.org or by calling us toll-free at (877-476-3784). CO2: BLOCK MENACE '1?0 In a move that science teachers everywhere will find surprising. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has labeled carbon dioxide (C02) a pollutant. But C02 is not a pollutant; it is one of nature's most fundamental building blocks. In this thinly veiled attempt to regulate where it has been unable to legislate. the Clinton Administration has taken its battle against fossil fuels to new ground. Many Americans may have forgotten what they learned in school about C02. This report offers a primer for those who refuse to sit on the sidelines while one of the most important debates of the century is carried on in Washington. According to a computer-driven hypothesis. humankind's CO9. emissions will trigger potentially catastrophic changes in earth's climate by inducing apocalyptic global warming. Billions of federal dollars have been spent on research in a vain attempt to prove this hypothesis. Empirical evidence suggests that these expected negative results of fossil fuel combustion are unfounded. instead. evidence of very modest nighttime winter warming. robust plant gromh. rejuvenating forests and ample harvests abounds. Even so. where C02's positive effect is most evident, it is ignored. International policy makers and domestic environmental regulators have convinced themselves that increasing C02 emissions call for dramatic changes in the way we live. They assert that people must curtail their use of fossil fuels. that society must deal with "the C02 issue." \?Ht .- ?mew-'3' a? - 1.. emitted into earth's atmosphere through a combination of geologic processes. includin Micro? volcanism and weathering of ancient rock. scopic oceanic plant life and. later. tertestrial plant life flourished. locking up more and more carbon. rt was. Animal lil?e thrived on the plants. The ea 02. From a . warmer. wetter and rich in this environment came the fossil fuels we use today It (I \l 360 350 330 320 300 CORRELAT 8 E: I I 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 5.0 POPULATION IN BILLIONS shows how CO2 ronrentratton has risen in dt'rectproportton to population the 1600 to present. The mortd's governments to pass tows to break this correlation. h'mit growth in population. or both. 7719' as Ivc?poss a tow ordering the sun not to set or the moon not to rise. htston?c data on CO2 concentration is derived from the study ofn?e cores and other prop data.) The increasing concentra hu-niinigctivity, although geologi WILL USE THE 002 ISSUE lfone believes that increasing atmospheric concentrations of C02 place the world at risk, the obvious solution is this: Society must de?carbonize. and the Fossil Fuel Age must end. Policies promoting such solutions represent a wrenching transformation of society and can not be accomplished without economic disruption, no matter the time frame chosen. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous. The 1992 Rio Treaty (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), as amended by the Kyoto . - in December 1997, would begin such a transformation. The treaty commits industrialized nations C02 emissions. Because developing countries' emissions will continue to rise. the Kyoto . l.wi]l fail to signi?cantly reduce the theoretical risk of apocalyptic change in climate and will fail the political test of rati?catiOn by the US Senate. even if President Clinton makes the US a signatory. Still greater transformation will be necessary. Using the climate-change issue as the political lever to transform US energy policy has . part of the environmental agenda since at least 1980. President Carter?s environmental advisors. then, are scattered thrOughout the domestic and international environmental policy apparatus insisting we "do something" about C02 now. Greening Earth Society engages this issue by providing useful information on the known, proven effects of CO2 on our environment. 30m: way we do this is in partnership with the National Mining Association in resisting 'A's initiative to regulate 002 as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. NMA prepared the legal 2 study of authority and Greening Earth Society provided a study of the science -, Greening Earth Society is designed to involve the grassroots in an ongoing way. "Doing 1? something? about 602 means treating a building block of nature?a part of the web of life? i as though it were a threat to nature and life. The climate-change debate will be won or lost on the basis of science. Ultimately. the science had to be the CO2 issue. Greening Earth Society. a creation ofWestern Fuels Association. Inc.. promotes the optimistic scientific viewpoint that humankind is a part of nature. rather than apart from nature. Greening Earth Society believes that humankind's industrial evolution is good. and that using fossil fuels to enable our economic activity is as natural as breathing. Greening Earth Society is convinced that ifcitizens receive information that increases their understanding of the benefits of fossil fuels and the positive effects of carbon dioxide on the earth's biosphere and atmosphere. they will make decisions that benefit both humankind and the planet. To this end. Greening Earth Sortety serves as a vehicle to provide sound information about carbon dioxide and fossil fuels to educators. students. business and media representatives. community leaders and policy makers. "101?? information, visit our Web site at or call us toll?free (877-476-3734)- number-up 1. our lifeblood. Our diueminetee within our communitiu and gaining Earth Society projecte. - Mi? is intended to provide 1 f; or We mm 30mm . :5 - materiale and our videoe?"The "and ?The Greening ofPlanet Earth be the Slat Century and Beyond??to Emilia. students. politicians and ??nal Neon-ch exploring COa?e and about "Humanity and Nature. $15 Aooa-n Member-hi, Bene?t- Video: "The Greening of Planet Earth? or ?The Queuing of Planet Earth Continua." Annual State chine Climate Repon. a 30-pege collection of on global climate change by leading eclentile Updatee on Breaking Greening Earth Society Deal ?25 Seedling Membmhip Bene?t All of the above. plum Invitation to Graearoota Training Day $50 Sa?ling Mania-em, Bene?t All of the above. plueu A eubecription to World Cline" Report. an acclaimed biweekly neweletter analyaing the ecieuce and politioe of global climate change-including the e?'ecta of on our Helpline duh.2, "Maggy.321.. ?53