美國上千名知名科學家和經濟學家首度發表共同聲明，要求立法者立即就導致全球暖化的溫室氣體排放量制定相關政策，進而大幅減少排放量。
此份聲明選在美國參議院針對華納－李伯曼氣候法案進行辯論之前公佈，也成為美國科學家和經濟學者共同向美國政府發聲的首例。
由憂思科學家聯盟所號召的1700多位連署人，其中包括6位在科學和經濟領域的諾貝爾獎得主、31位美國國家科學院成員，以及參與編撰2007年跨政府氣候變遷專家小組（IPCC）氣候報告的100多位作者和編輯，IPCC在2007年與高爾同獲諾貝爾和平獎殊榮。
此聲明提議美國政府應改善全球暖化污染，以2000年排放量為基礎，在2050年將溫室氣體排放量減少80%，而近期的目標則是在2020年將排放量減少15%到20%。同時要求美國政府樹立榜樣，讓全國民眾同心協力面對氣候變遷的挑戰。
此項聲明中除了列出全球暖化的科學佐證，科學在氣候變遷上的效用也迫使這些連署人就氣候變遷的潛在危機，向立法者提出警告，包括海平面上升、熱浪、乾旱、森林大火、冰雪融化、洪水和疾病，以及動植物絕種現象的惡化。
科學家和經濟學者表示，儘速針對全球暖化污染問題採取行動，是控制氣候變遷最符合成本效益的方法。若美國遲遲不採取行動，未來降低排放量的方法將更為激烈也更為昂貴。
而這些成本也將再加諸在適應氣候變遷的成本之上。
另一方面，科學家和經濟學者也指出，有效的減量策略也會帶動經濟成長，創造國內就業機會，保護公眾健康和加強能源安全。
Hundreds of the nation's most prominent scientists and economists have issued a first-ever joint statement calling on policymakers to require immediate, deep reductions in heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming.
Issued just before the U.S. Senate begins debate on the Warner-Lieberman climate bill, the statement marks the first time U.S. scientists and economists have joined together to make such an appeal.
The more than 1,700 signatories, compiled by Union of Concerned Scientists, include six Nobel Prize winners in science or economics, 31 National Academy of Science members, and more than 100 authors and editors of the 2007 climate reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, who all shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
The statement proposes that the United States should reduce global warming pollution "on the order of 80 percent below 2000 levels by 2050" and that the first step should be reductions of 15 to 20 percent below 2000 levels by 2020. It calls on the United States to set an example and bring nations together to meet the climate challenge.
The statement affirms the scientific evidence for global warming, saying, "the strength of the science on climate change" compelled the signers to warn policymakers of climate change's growing risks, including "sea level rise, heat waves, droughts, wildfires, snowmelt, floods and disease, as well as increased plant and animal species extinctions."
Acting quickly to cut global warming pollution would be the most cost-effective way to limit climate change, the scientists and economists state. If the United States delays taking action, they say, future cuts would have to more drastic and would be much more expensive.
And those costs would come in addition to the increased cost of adapting to more climate change.
On the other hand, the scientists and economists advise, smart reduction strategies would allow the economy to grow, generate new domestic jobs, protect public health, and strengthen energy security.
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