Recently I attended Gov. Schwarzenegger's Global Climate Summit. It was great to see so much national and international attention to global warming, but there were a few low points that scratched at my pride as an Alaskan.
I had to listen while Florida was singled out as being the state most impacted by climate change. They even used our tag line — "ground zero for global warming." Then I had to watch Gov. Sebelius claim that Kansas, with far less high class wind density than Alaska, is the "Saudi Arabia of wind." The place applauded in agreement. Just like that another Alaska claim was snatched up by another leadership state.
Here we sit as the only state in the nation with enough renewable energy potential (hydro, geothermal, wind and tidal) to be the first state having 50 percent of electrical generation coming from renewable energy sources by 2025. Yet, the rest of the nation does not know it. Neither are they aware that Alaska is heating up at twice the rate as the Lower 48.
Unfortunately, I did not have a podium upon which to educate this august conference about the unique global position of Alaska when it comes to climate and renewable energy. Instead, I had to listen and watch as other state leaders proclaim how they will join President-elect Obama in leading America into the new world order of climate and energy.
There is more at stake here than just loss of leadership mantles. Without leadership on par with other states, we risk not receiving large amounts of adaptation funds from any federal legislative action on climate change. Florida now easily eclipses Alaska as the new ''ground zero'' state. North Carolina is saying that it will be the state to first experience rapid sea rise. The question now is how far back in line will Alaska be as a recipient of impact assistance funds?
Equally disturbing is the potential lack of investment and jobs that may come our way if Alaska's energy perspective is seen as being only about oil and the gas pipeline. Governor after governor, CEO after CEO, testified how investment and technology in renewable energy is the fastest growing sector of their economy or of their business.
In fact, Gov. Schwarzenegger was so enthusiastic about the economic response in California that he recently upped the renewable energy production goal from 25 percent to 33 percent by 2020, proclaiming "I am setting the most aggressive target in the nation for renewable energy."
In Colorado the response to the 10 percent mandated goal was so positive, in terms of jobs and new investments, that the utilities agreed to up the mandate to 20 percent. Even though we already have 24 percent of our electrical generation coming from renewable energy sources, Alaska has no such targets or goals.
Yet Alaska is the nation's premier energy state. We even have the perfect bridge fuel for America's transition to a clean, secure energy future … our North Slope natural gas. We have so much more to offer than ''drill baby drill.'' Given my experience at the Global Climate Summit, I fear that without a commensurate level of leadership for the new energy era about to be ushered in by an Obama administration, Alaska risks being left behind.
After listening to Steve Haagenson, the Director of the Alaska Energy Authority, I know not to expect this in the soon to be released state energy plan. The plan will have lots of good information and certainly be helpful to individual communities trying to sort out their energy future, but it will not be the type of plan that says to the world, "Come to Alaska, the Great Land for the New Energy Economy."
It is my sincere hope that both the Legislature and governor will recognize this potential loss of opportunity and set Alaska on a course that is visionary and proactive in the era of "Yes We Can" on climate and energy.
Kate Troll is executive director of Alaska Conservation Alliance and Alaska Conservation Voters. She serves on the governor's Mitigation Advisory Board, which reports to the governor's subcabinet on climate change.
