350 is truly starting to bubble up from the grassroots to the government. The latest to get on the 350 train? John Kerry, who will play a critical role starting January 20, when he will replace Joe Biden as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
While questioning Hillary Clinton at her confirmation hearing, John Kerry threw in this tidbit that I thought you’d all appreciate:
“One thing I do want to ask, if I may, and I don’t want to belabor it, but it’s coming at us enormously and that is the question of what we’re really going to be able to do here with respect to global climate change….
…Scientists have now revised the levels of supportable greenhouse gas emissions from 550 parts per million to 450 to now 350.
…So our challenge is going to be even greater than it was five months ago, Senator, or two months ago. The perception that we can kind of creep at this and perhaps do something this year, notwithstanding our economy, is foolhardy…
…I know that the president-elect has said he’s going to focus on it. But I’m not sure that everybody coming into the administration is completely aware of what a big lift this is going to be and how imperative it is that we make Copenhagen a success.
I simply want to ask your undivided focus and leadership on this issue, because it is that critical.”
It seems that Kerry gets the urgency that comes with 350. We’ll have to work hard this year to make sure that all of our politicians follow suit, including the man Hillary will be reporting to in less than a week (!) — President-Elect Barack Obama.