Researcher Briefs Congress on Climate Change Initiatives in Arkansas

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Cindy Sagers

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas researcher Cindy Sagers, professor of biological sciences, will represent Arkansas at a congressional briefing Tuesday, Sept. 1, regarding the influence of state-level climate change initiatives on federal policy. Sagers will talk in part about the work of the Arkansas Commission on Global Warming convened by Gov. Mike Beebe in 2007. The commission included academic researchers, conservationists and representatives of energy interests, and it created a report with many recommendations to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the state of Arkansas.

“Arkansas is one of the few states in the southeastern United States that is drafting legislation to address issues of global climate change,” Sagers said. “As such, we have assumed a leadership role in the region.”

Sagers will talk about some of the legislation that has been implemented in Arkansas as a result of the commission’s work. This includes an executive order from Beebe directing state agencies to submit plans on how to save energy within their operations; an aggressive energy efficiency bill setting efficiency goals for public buildings; and a loan program funded in part by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that will help retrofit existing public buildings.

She also will talk about some of the challenges the commission faced and how they have worked as a group to overcome those challenges.

“Perhaps the biggest challenge was realizing that we could work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even though we held very different views on the issue,” Sagers said.

Finally, she will speak about large-scale projects that will be difficult without federal support, such as improving mass transit in metropolitan areas of Arkansas.

The briefing is being organized by the Center for Climate Strategies, a nonprofit, nonpartisan agency that is helping public officials and stakeholders respond to the challenges posed by global warming and related opportunities for economic development, clean energy and a safe environment.