Audubon urges lawmakers to curb global warming by moving quickly to adopt mandatory measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They should also promote energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation that will serve as a "down payment" toward the goal of a 60-80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The following are key legislative priorities that will help ensure a healthy future for our birds - and for all of us.

Reduce Global Warming Pollution

The United States should set mandatory limits on global warming pollution and establish a cap and trade program that is consistent with preventing average global temperature from rising another 2° Fahrenheit. Any such program should require pollution permits to be auctioned, use the revenue to ensure a rapid transition to a clean energy economy, and provide the necessary assistance for helping people, wildlife, and ecosystems adapt to climate changes caused by global warming.

Repower America with Clean and Efficient Electricity

The United States should strive toward achieving a 100 percent clean energy future by maximizing energy efficiency, vastly expanding our use of renewable energy, and developing the needed infrastructure to deliver clean energy to America — all in an environmentally — responsible manner that will help reduce our global warming emissions while minimizing the impacts on birds and habitat. In order to achieve this clean energy vision, Audubon recommends the following first steps:

• Adopt a suite of state and federal policies designed to increase energy efficiency by at least 15 percent by 2020.
• Adopt a national renewable electricity standard that will require 25 percent of all electricity to be provided by renewable resources by 2025.
• Accelerate the development of properly-sited transmission to serve new renewable energy and a "Smart Grid" to transmit that energy more efficiently.

Reduce Our Dependence on Oil

In order to put America on a path toward meeting our goals for reducing global warming pollution, the United States should start by cutting our dependence on oil by half. This can be achieved by significantly increasing fuel efficiency for cars and trucks, expanding the use of more fuel efficient and less polluting vehicles, using cleaner and environmentally sustainable fuel alternatives, investing in clean transportation infrastructure, public transportation, and sustainable communities, and providing Americans with more transportation alternatives.

Invest in the Clean Energy Economy of Tomorrow

The United States should make major new investments in clean energy technologies and infrastructure that will allow us to reduce global warming pollution while also creating the clean energy economy of the future. By limiting global warming pollution and requiring polluters to pay for their pollution, we can fund the necessary investments in energy efficiency, clean energy, and technology research and development.