What's At Stake?

2005 Hottest Year on Record--Act Now!

Current sponsors of the
Climate Stewardship Act (CSA):

Not sure who your respresentative is? Click here to look it up.

If your representative is on the list below, please thank him or her for sponsoring the CSA.

Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1] - 2/17/2005
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] - 3/14/2005
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] - 12/16/2005
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 7/28/2005
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 3/1/2005
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 5/18/2005 Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] - 6/16/2005
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 3/8/2005
Rep Boehlert, Sherwood [NY-24] - 2/10/2005
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 9/6/2005
Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1] - 3/1/2005
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 3/2/2005
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 9/15/2005
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] - 7/12/2005
Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7] - 7/26/2005
Rep Case, Ed [HI-2] - 2/16/2005
Rep Castle, Michael N. [DE] - 2/10/2005
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 6/16/2005
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] - 10/17/2005
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 3/14/2005
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] - 3/1/2005
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] - 2/15/2005
Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] - 3/1/2005
Rep Ehlers, Vernon J. [MI-3] - 2/10/2005
Rep Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5] - 11/4/2005
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 12/16/2005
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] - 4/6/2005
Rep Evans, Lane [IL-17] - 7/14/2005
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 5/4/2005
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 6/16/2005
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 2/15/2005
Rep Ford, Harold E., Jr. [TN-9] - 2/10/2005
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 2/16/2005
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 3/1/2005
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 7/26/2005
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] - 7/27/2005
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 7/26/2005
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] - 4/6/2005
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 6/16/2005
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 3/2/2005
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 2/16/2005
Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1] - 2/10/2005
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 3/8/2005
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 5/5/2005
Rep Johnson, Nancy L. [CT-5] - 2/10/2005
Rep Kelly, Sue W. [NY-19] - 2/10/2005
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 3/2/2005
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 4/6/2005
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] - 3/1/2005
Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12] - 3/2/2005
Rep Leach, James A. [IA-2] - 2/10/2005
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 6/16/2005
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 3/14/2005
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] - 5/18/2005
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 5/4/2005
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 3/8/2005
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] - 6/21/2005
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 2/16/2005
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 2/10/2005
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] - 7/28/2005
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 2/10/2005
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 2/17/2005
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 3/2/2005
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21] - 2/17/2005
Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5] - 9/29/2005
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 3/1/2005
Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita [CA-37] -
/12/2005
Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] - 5/17/2005
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 2/10/2005
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 6/30/2005
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 2/15/2005
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 3/16/2005
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 7/28/2005
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] - 7/12/2005
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 2/10/2005
Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11] - 2/15/2005
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 9/6/2005
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] - 2/10/2005
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 6/16/2005
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 3/3/2005
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 4/27/2005
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] - 4/21/2005
Rep Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 3/14/2005
Rep Saxton, Jim [NJ-3] - 2/10/2005
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 2/10/2005
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] - 4/6/2005
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] - 10/20/2005
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 6/16/2005
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] - 2/10/2005
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 10/17/2005
Rep Simmons, Rob [CT-2] - 2/10/2005
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] -
2/10/2005
Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] - 2/10/2005
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 3/14/2005
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10] - 5/10/2005
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] - 5/25/2005
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 3/1/2005
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 7/19/2005
Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2] - 2/10/2005
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 2/10/2005
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 9/15/2005
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] - 2/10/2005
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] -
/3/2005
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 12/6/2005
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] - 2/10/2005
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 6/16/2005
Rep Weldon, Curt [PA-7] - 2/10/2005
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 2/17/2005
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 4/6/2005

On January 13, 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that average surface temperatures pushed 2005 into a virtual tie with 1998 as the hottest year on record. For people living in the Northern Hemisphere—most of the world's population—2005 was the hottest year on record since 1880, the earliest year for which reliable instrumental records were available worldwide.

The year 2005 exceeded previous global annual average temperatures despite having weak El Niño conditions at the beginning of the year. El Niño is a period of warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the east-central Pacific Ocean that influences weather conditions across much of the globe. In contrast, a particularly strong El Niño boosted the record-breaking temperatures of 1998.

The record heat of 2005 is part of a longer-term warming trend exacerbated by the rise of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere that is due primarily to our burning fossil fuels and clearing forests. Nineteen of the hottest 20 years on record have occurred since 1980.

The record surface temperatures of the past 20 years reinforce other indications that global warming is under way. For example, the observed rise in average surface temperatures has been accompanied by warming of the atmosphere and oceans, resulting in increased ice melt and sea level rise, as well as more severe extreme weather events.

We must act now to reduce heat-trapping emissions and curb global warming. More than 190 U.S. cities have already joined the international community in committing to reducing their global warming emissions, but strong federal action is also needed. UCS is working to build support in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Climate Stewardship Act (CSA) (HR 759), a bill that would reduce overall U.S. carbon emissions to 2000 levels by the year 2010.

The CSA would establish a permit-trading program, commonly referred to as a “cap-and-trade system,” that draws on the power of the market to reduce global warming emissions in a cost-effective and flexible manner.

Tell your representative to protect future generations by cosponsoring the Climate Stewardship Act.

Learn more about the NOAA temperature report.
Learn more about the Climate Stewardship Act.

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