If the severe storms touching down in Washington DC last week reflected public anger as Republicans stalled debate on the Climate Bill by reading all 500 pages aloud; then this week's heat-wave predicts the future of global warming without significant climate legislation in the US. The death of the Bill mirrors the dysfunctional state of politics in the US, which is a climate outlier for not ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.
However, environmentalists find a silver lining in the storm clouds: an opportunity to achieve better legislation than the milquetoast Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act.

1Sky, a consortium of over 60 environmentalist, social justice, business, and civil society organizations promoting federal policy that advances sustainability, encapsulates this measured optimism. 1Sky supports legislation aligned with scientific consensus on the measures needed to address the climate crisis. Lieberman-Warner fell far short on this count, and "would have given more money to the bloated fossil fuel industry," according to 1Sky Board President Betsy Taylor.

1Sky is throwing its weight behind the 'iCap' Bill introduced in the House last week by Representative Ed Markey that calls for emissions cuts at the aggressive levels scientists are calling for: 85 percent by 2050. HR 6186, or an Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act. 1Sky also confronts Big Oil by calling for a moratorium on traditional coal plants - a mandatory move according to prominent climate scientist and 1Sky Science Advisory Council member James Hansen.

The fact that Time magazine expressed cynicism over environmentalist optimism is the second-best endorsement for such optimism. The first place endorsement goes to children who painted murals for Mother’s Day calling on stronger Congressional climate action, coordinated by 1Sky. What better constituents to promote solutions for their future than those inheriting the world Congress is creating?

this article was written by CSRwire contributor Bill Baue.