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Iowa’s Sustainable
Energy Charter
An Interfaith Citizen Initiative
2005
The Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign
The Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign works to pursue justice for the poor worldwide and to protect all life on Earth by addressing global climate change and related energy issues in Iowa. The following Iowans, representing many faiths, guide the work and activities of the campaign.
Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign Advisory Committee
Lynda Albaugh, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Des Moines
Laura Belin, Temple B'nai Jeshurun, Des Moines
Tom Chapman, Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
Sr. Elaine Hagedorn, CHM, Our Lady of the Americas Catholic Church, Des Moines
Sr. Jeanie Hagedorn, CHM, Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Des Moines
Ruth Hardin, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ , Des Moines
Dr. Ray Heinicke, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Southeast Iowa Synod, Caring for Creation Task Force
Mary Klauke, Rural Life Office, Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, Dorchester
Dr. Phil Leino, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Southeast Iowa Synod, Caring for Creation Task Force, Des Moines
Marilyn Murphy, Social Concerns/Rural Life Department, Catholic Charities, Catholic Diocese of Sioux City
Lana Ross, Iowa United Methodist Conference, Des Moines
Dr. Robert Sessions, Trinity Episcopal Church, Iowa City
Craig Stark, St. Timothy Episcopal Church, Des Moines
Dr. David Voigts, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Northeast Iowa Synod, Care of Creation Committee, Jesup
Coordinator:
Tim Kautza, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Des Moines
Iowa’s Sustainable
Energy Charter
An Interfaith Citizen Initiative
2005
The Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE SITUATION…………………………………………………………….. p. 3
Global Warming and Climate Change ……………………………… p. 3
Impacts of Fossil Fuels ……………………………………………….. p. 5
The Promise of Sustainable, Renewable Energy ………………….. p. 5
Government Policy …………………………………………………… p. 5
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES TO SUSTAIN A WORLD
WORTHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON …………………………………… P. 6
OUR VISION OF IOWA’S FUTURE ……………………………………… . P. 7
RECOMMENDATIONS TO REALIZE OUR VISION …………………….. p. 8
CITIZEN SUPPORT ………………………………………………………… p. 9
REFERENCES
Iowa’s Sustainable Energy Charter
An Interfaith Citizen Initiative
This Sustainable Energy Charter is an interfaith declaration by Iowans of fundamental principles and recommended actions that will help shape a just and sustainable energy future in Iowa and around the world.
The driving forces behind the development of this Sustainable Energy Charter are manifold. As people of faith, foremost in our minds are the impacts that continuing reliance on a nonrenewable fossil fuel energy system will have on people, particularly the poor and vulnerable, and on God’s sacred creation. Our greatest concerns are global warming and resulting global climate change, and the growing burden of increasing costs (economic, public health, societal, and environmental) from the increasing use of dwindling supplies of most fossil fuels.
The primary source of energy for Earth is the Sun. Sun-derived forms of energy include wind, biomass (i.e. crops, vegetation), hydropower (river power), and human and animal muscle power. These solar energy forms are considered "renewable" energy because as long as the sun shines and the life processes of Earth are functioning, solar forms of energy will replenish themselves. Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) were also derived from solar energy through plant photosynthesis millions of years ago. Since none are being formed now, the supply of these fuels is finite and nonrenewable. Uranium, the energy source for nuclear power, is an exception having been derived from cosmic supernovae as our solar system formed. The supply of uranium on Earth is limited, finite, and is considered nonrenewable. Currently, Iowans and most other humans rely primarily on nonrenewable fossil fuels and uranium to meet their demand for energy.
This use of fossil fuels is changing the composition of the atmosphere. Of particular concern is an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. We are injecting back into the atmosphere in the time span of a couple of centuries, the carbon that was stored away by natural processes over periods of tens to hundreds of millions of years. There is no doubt that it is these human activities that are changing atmospheric composition. This type of change in the atmospheric composition is warming the planet by enhancing the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect. 1
Global Warming and Climate Change
The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is warming the planet. Most of the observed warming over the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the [human-induced] increase in greenhouse gas concentrations according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. The IPCC, widely regarded as the most authoritative climate change body, offers convincing evidence that there exists if not a clear and present danger then a clear and future danger, and that coming changes will affect all aspects of the environment and societal well-being. 2
Over the past two centuries the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased about 30 percent, from a pre-industrial level of about 270 parts per million to a current level of 370 parts per million. 3
In June 2005, the national science academies of 11 industrialized nations called on world leaders to acknowledge that the threat of climate change is clear and increasing, to address its causes, and to prepare for its consequences. Sufficient scientific understanding of climate change exists for all nations to identify cost-effective steps that can be taken now to contribute to substantial and long-term reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. 4
The impact of global warming will become more pronounced over time. It is predicted that more intense inland precipitation events will result in intensified floods, landslides and associated crop losses which will put increased pressure on government and private flood insurance systems and demands for disaster relief. Higher temperatures will result in increased livestock and crop stress, human heat deaths, drought, and wild fire. Higher temperatures will also intensify oceanic storms resulting in increased coastal erosion and damage to buildings and infrastructure; decreased water resource quantity and quality; increased species extinctions; and serious and expanding human health and quality of life problems. 5 By 2030, Iowa summers may resemble those of Kansas in terms of average temperature and rainfall. By the end of the century, Iowa’s summer climate will generally be more like that of current northwest Mississippi. 6
Considering current trends and future possibilities, the carbon dioxide concentration by 2100 is expected to rise from its current level to between 100% to 300% above its pre-industrial level; that is, the carbon dioxide concentration may be roughly 2 to 4 times its pre-industrial concentration. The Earth has not experienced such high a carbon dioxide concentration in tens of millions of years, and unless the emissions were to be cut to about 75% below current levels, which will be very difficult given the higher human population and the rising overall standard of living, the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere will still be rising into the 22nd century. 7
The impacts of future changes in climate extremes are expected to fall disproportionately on the poor. There will be increased incidence of death and serious illness in older age groups and urban poor. The greatest impact will be on the lowest income human societies which rely on wildlife for subsistence living. 8
Impacts of Fossil Fuels
In 1995, 56% of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere were from power plants and industry and 31% from transportation. The remaining 13 percent were attributed to residential and commercial businesses. 9
Power plants are a major source of the most common pollutants in the air that harm children. In 1998, power plants emitted 67 percent of the sulfur dioxide, 25 percent of the nitrogen oxides, 34 percent of the mercury and 38 percent of the carbon dioxide in the U.S. 10, 11, 12
Eighty-seven percent of Iowa’s electricity comes from fossil fuels; 85% from coal. 13 In Iowa, 567,140 children live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, the area in which the greatest health impacts are felt. Of these children, 81,009 live in poverty and 38,367 have asthma. More than 1000 schools are also located within a 30-mile radius. 14
Fine particle pollution from coal-fired power plants shortens the lives of 323 Iowans each year. Fine particle pollution from power plants also causes 40,988 lost work days, 333 hospitalizations and 7,322 asthma attacks every year, 412 of which are so severe they require emergency room visits. 15
The Promise of Sustainable, Renewable Energy
The Task Force on Renewable Energy of the G-8 group of industrial countries found in a 2000 study that "successfully promoting renewables over the period to 2030 will prove less expensive than taking a ‘business as usual’ approach." 16
A January 2000 study suggested that Iowa's electric utility customers could save over $300 million over a 25-year period if they adopted a proposal to meet 10% of the state's electric demand through wind energy. The savings result because the cost of fossil fuels is expected to rise over time, while the cost of wind energy generation declines. 17
There seems to be growing interest in moving toward the greater use of sustainable, alternative energy sources. By December 2003, Iowa was already halfway to meeting the Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force’s 2001 modest goal of achieving 1000 MW of power from renewable energy generation by 2010, even though it had not been mandated legislatively. 18, 19
Government policy
The Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force called for the use of bio-diesel and ethanol in state and local vehicles. 20 The Governor through his Executive Order 41 issued this year 21 directs state agencies that all light-duty vehicles purchased by 2010 be alternative fuel vehicles (high blend ethanol, compressed natural gas, electricity, solar energy, or hydrogen) or hybrid-electric vehicles when an equivalent is available.
Our current dominant energy source, fossil fuels, has been given preferential treatment for years. Eminent domain, tax write-offs, and government subsidies are all slanted to a devastatingly flawed fossil fuel dominated system. If the full cost of fossil fuel-based power was accounted for, including environmental and social costs, these traditional energy sources would appear far more costly than is reflected in market prices. 22
The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 ignores the most obvious, simplest, and probably least expensive options for decreasing nonrenewable fuel use: increasing fuel economy requirements and encouraging wide-scale conservation. Although there is some support in the bill for the development of hybrids, plug-ins and electric vehicles, it is minor. The bill avoids mandates for targeted reductions in fossil-fuel consumption and sidestepped targeted reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The new Energy Policy Act of 2005 subsidizes the production of bio-diesel and ethanol.
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES TO SUSTAIN A WORLD
WORTHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Energy development strategies should look toward improving the welfare of humans and God’s sacred creation, not toward strengthening the economy at the expense of human welfare and with degradation of God’s creation. While science informs us about energy impacts and energy options and the market places dollar measurements on units of energy production, these data alone cannot tell us what energy path to choose.
Priority for the poor should be foremost when considering alternatives. We should always ask how our decisions will affect the poor and vulnerable. Justice is served when the least powerful are given equal protection from societal and ecological harm. Pollution and health effects of fossil fuel production and use as well as global warming tend to fall heavily on the poor. 23, 24
Personal lifestyle choices and changes should be made while considering the greater sufficiency for all; the common good. Developing countries will continue to raise their standard of living with resulting increases in carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time they will find it more difficult to adapt to consequences of climate change because generally they have less diversified economies and fewer resources. To allow them to rise to full stature, we in the developed world may need to reduce our demand for energy and material for the common good.
The integrity of God’s creation should be upheld. God’s sacred creation has an inherent value beyond its usefulness to humans. As a result of global climate change, we are already witnessing the decline in biological productivity of coral reef systems, melting of glaciers and polar ice packs, increased coastal and island flooding and erosion, gradually increasing global average surface temperature, and gradual submergence of low-lying ocean islands.
The earth is the Lord’s and has been created for the well-being of all. The use of the goods of the Earth, created by God for all, for private and/or corporate benefit and profit brings with it a social and ecological mortgage. The monetary benefits of our current energy system accrue disproportionately to the affluent at the expense of the common good. The implementation of sustainable, renewable energy systems should be done in such a way as to reduce these inequities.
Iowans, as people of God, are responsible for injustices that occur through the misuse and abuse of political, social, and economic power. Therefore, we must exercise local self-governance and democratic participation at community, state and federal levels to help assure energy security at all levels. Encouraging personal, community, and cooperative ownership and management of new, sustainable, renewable energy systems would help minimize such injustices.
Finally, decisions made with the common good in mind also should consider future generations. The profound policy decisions we face now will affect our children’s children. Even if we were to reduce or stop emissions now, the climate will continue to change for the next few dozen or even 100 years.25 We should not put off until tomorrow decisions to begin to halt the threat of global warming and resulting climate change.
OUR VISION FOR IOWA’S FUTURE
We envision a transformation of the current energy system from a fossil fuel and uranium-based system to a more sustainable, renewable system with growing reliance on wind, biomass, small-scale hydropower, and muscle power. This new system will meet a demand for energy that will have lessened through greater energy efficiencies, conservation, and lifestyle changes.
It is now clear that renewable energy sources will not be able to sustain present world levels of energy use, and that we will need to dramatically reduce our demand for energy and material. 26
We believe the aforementioned principles and following recommendations are fundamental and should be considered during policy discussions that may help move Iowa, the country, and world toward this more sustainable energy future.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO REALIZE OUR VISION
Iowans should take seriously the threats to God’s children, particularly the poor and vulnerable, and to God’s sacred creation by our dependence upon our nonrenewable fuel-based energy system and the resulting global change in Earth’s climate. We the undersigned recommend the following actions be taken.
1. Iowans should manage demand through a high priority on conservation and energy efficiency including significant reductions in the energy needed per unit of production and transportation. The Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force believes Iowa should be a leader in energy policy, but their recommendations are too cautious for the current situation. Government and community buildings including places of worship should use sustainable and renewable energy when possible, and citizens (following government’s example as, in part, demonstrated by Governor Vilsack’s Executive Order 41) should reduce consumption, (i.e. adjust thermostats, car pool, purchase hybrid-electric or more energy efficient vehicles, etc.).
2. Iowans (and all humans) should learn to live in a much more ecologically integrated manner within the Earth community drawing on energy sources in ways that halt and mitigate global warming and minimize damage to ecosystems.
3. Before considering increasing reliance on nuclear energy as suggested in the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, we must politically address the unresolved problems such as the safe disposal (or safe storage) of wastes from nuclear reactors; a technology that currently entails a level of risk many find unacceptable.
4. Iowans should base the development of energy policy on publicly stated ethical principles and move beyond our dependence on fossil fuels (coal and oil).
5. Iowans should begin the movement away from fossil fuels by adopting legislation that would mandate that at least 10% of Iowa's electricity comes from renewable and sustainable sources like wind and solar by the year 2010 and twenty percent by the year 2020.
6. We should encourage policy makers to support personal, community, and cooperative ownership of new, sustainable, renewable energy systems.
7. Iowans should assess the sustainability of new biomass energy before supporting its implementation. We should continuously seek to improve the net energy efficiency of existing biomass energy, including ethanol and biodiesel. This analysis should take into consideration fuel use in planting, cultivating, fertilizer or pesticides used and their application, harvesting, transporting to market and the energy used to turn the biomass into fuel. The associated environmental impacts should also be taken into account.
8. We should encourage our government to ensure the support necessary for individuals, families and communities adversely affected by a transition away from nonrenewable fuels in order to allow for retraining, relocation, etc.
9. Iowa should initiate a comprehensive energy conservation program, addressing all forms of energy, that would work to change energy use habits.
10. A curriculum that addresses the social and political issues surrounding our current fossil fuel energy system, its ecological impacts on Iowa and the rest of the world, and conservation issues must be taught in our schools (K-12) and in our colleges. We need to develop educational materials to support those curricula using web-based applications as well as traditional print forms.
We, the undersigned, urge that all Iowans work together to move Iowa beyond business as usual with deliberate speed to a 21st century energy system that is sustainable and relies on renewable energy sources and greater energy efficiencies and conservation.
ADOPTED ON NOVEMBER 21, 2005, BY THE FOLLOWING CITIZENS OF IOWA:
Add your name to the growing list of Iowa citizens who have signed-on in support of this charter. Please send your name, religious affiliation, email or mailing address, and location to Tim Kautza, coordinator, Iowa Climate and Energy Campaign, ncrlctk@mchsi.com; or by FAX 515.270.9447; or by mail 4625 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310-2145. Please call 515.270.2634 or email if you have questions.
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Blessings!
Tim Kautza, coordinator
Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign
REFERENCES
1--MacCracken, M. 2005. Global Climate Change:A Science Overview. Catholic Rural Life magazine. http://www.ncrlc.com/2_MacCracken05.html
2--IPCC. 2001. Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Eds. J.T. Houghton, et al. http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/index.htm
3--Climate Institute. 2005. Science of Climate Change. http://www.climate.org/topics/climate/index.shtml
4--Joint Science Academies’ Statement: Global Response to Climate Change. 2005. http://nationalacademies.org/onpi/06072005.pdf.
5--IPCC. 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Eds. J.J. McCarthy, et al. http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg2/index.htm
6--2004. Climate Change in the Hawkeye State. Union of Concerned Scientists. http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/page.cfm?pageID=1306
7--MacCracken, M. 2005. Global Climate Change:A Science Overview. Catholic Rural Life magazine. http://www.ncrlc.com/2_MacCracken05.html
8--IPCC. 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Eds. J.J. McCarthy, et al. http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg2/index.htm
9--U.S. Department of State. 1997 "U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion: 1995."
10--U.S. EPA (2001): National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report, 1999. EPA publication 454/R01-004, March 2001. http://www.epa.gov/airtrends
11--U.S. EPA. 1998. Study of hazardous air pollutant emissions from electric utility steam generating units – final report to Congress. February. 453/R-98-004a.
12--From EPA Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the U.S. 2000: Electric utilities release 2453 million tons per year; total combustion related sources of CO2 total 6386 million tons. Ratio of electric utility CO2 to total combustion related sources is 38%. Data provided by MSB Energy Associates.
13--2002. Industry Electrical Generation by Energy Source. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/iowa/fig2.html
14--2001. Estimated Prevalence and Incidence of Lung Disease by Lung Association Territory, American Lung Association and U.S. Census Population Estimates for 1997; http://www.cleartheair.org/relatives/20033.pdf
15--Abt Associates, "Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios" June 2004. http://www.cleartheair.org/dirtypower/docs/abt_powerplant_whitepaper.pdf
16--2001. Report of the G8 Renewable Energy Task Force. Eds. C. Clini and M.M. Stuart. http://www.g8italia.it/UserFiles/347.pdf
17--Wind, T. A. 2000. Projected Impact of a Renewable Portfolio Standard on Iowa’s Electricity Prices. Wind Utility Consulting. http://www.awea.org/iowawind/factsheets/tomwind.pdf
18--2001. Recommendations for new Energy Policy for Iowa. The Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force. http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/energy/taskforce/report/TASKFORCEREPORT.pdf
19--2003. Status of Recommendations from the 2001 Energy Policy Task Force Report to the Governor. Memo for Iowa Utilities Board to Governor Tom Vilsack. http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/energy/taskforce/report/04jan_task.pdf
20--The Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force. 2001. Recommendations for new Energy Policy for Iowa http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/energy/taskforce/report/TASKFORCEREPORT.pdf
21--2005. State of Iowa Executive Order Number Forty-One. http://www.governor.state.ia.us/legal/41_45/EO_41.pdf
22--Gabel, Energy Earth and Everyone, p. 102-103.
23--Bullard, R.D. Unequal Protection: Environmental Justice and Communities of Color. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1996.
24--Miller, Ansje and Gautam, Sethi and Wolff, Gary. 2001. "What's Fair?: Consumers and Climate Change". Oakland, CA: Redefining Progress.
25--2004. Comments by Prof. Ding Yihui, China Meteorological Administration, and member and officer of the Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Program on World in the Balance. NOVA April 2004. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/voic-yihu.html
26--Trainer, F.E. 1995. Can Renewable Energy Sources Sustain Affluent Society? Energy Policy, v.23, no. 12, p. 1009-1026
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