Wisconsin "Blueprint for Action" issued to combat climate change

Wisconsin Environment issues report outlining policy steps required to reduce carbon emissions
Posted by Jeff Pieterick, President, Wisconsin Biodiesel Association

Citing global warming as "a serious threat to Wisconsin’s future wellbeing and prosperity," Wisconsin Environment has released A Blueprint for Action: Policy Options to Reduce Wisconsin's Contribution to Global Warming

This environmental group has identified global warming as being among its top priorities in confronting issues that affect the world we live in. With a sense of urgency, Wisconsin Environment points out that "immediate action is needed to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Scientists tell us that if we act quickly and aggressively to reduce global warming emissions there is a much greater chance of staving off the worst impacts of global warming."

In their report (Executive Summary available here) Wisconsin Environment applauds the efforts undertaken so far in Wisconsin to reduce our carbon emissions. Yet, they point out that Wisconsin's emissions of global warming gases continue to increase. The report offers a blueprint that includes 13 substantial policy steps that could help reverse this trend as required to do our part in effectively addressing this threat to our environment.

The significant impact of the transportation fuels sector of our energy market is well considered in this report. The Wisconsin biodiesel industry therefore has an important role to play in promoting the policy changes outlined therein.

Biodiesel has potential to contribute greatly to this effort, but only if it maintains a focus on sustainability in both its feedstock procurement and its production methods. Look to The Wisconsin Biodiesel News webpage for continual updates of research and industry developments that further enhance biodiesel's ability to address this most important issue of global climate change.

The Wisconsin Biodiesel Association joins with Wisconsin Environment and others in acknowledging the threat posed by increased carbon emissions. Biodiesel provides an immediate solution in reducing our carbon footprint, but much work is required going forward to increase the potential positive impact this industry can provide. It remains important, therefore, for the biodiesel industry to commit effort toward increasing its carbon efficiencies as it expands to supplant more and more of our distillate fuel requirement. It is the potential environmental benefits provided by biodiesel, after all, that truly establishes it as "Home Grown Fuel for a Better Wisconsin."