California goes out front; Congratulations, rather than scorn, deserved for moving on global warming challenges

What we'll all have to do before very long is get serious about addressing the greenhouse gases that threaten to change radically Earth's climate.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, going against fellow Republicans in the state Legislature, joined majority Democrats in casting legislation that will require that by 2020 California reduce its CO2 emissions to their 1990 levels, a cut of 25 percent.

Many Republicans and Chamber-of-Commerce types predict the new law will lead to economic doom for the world's sixth-largest economy, with companies leaving by the hundreds.

But Democrats say the technologies and strategies to pull it off already exist. For his part, Schwarzenegger predicted "the success of our system will be an example for other states and nations to follow as the fight against climate change continues."

And, significantly, praise came from the state's largest electric utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, which said the new law "strikes the right balance between improving the environment and protecting the economy."

With passage of this serious global-warming initiative, California is positioning itself to be the leader in addressing the real No. 1 challenge of the 21st century, one that the national government not only hasn't addressed, but has dismissed as mere speculation. In truth, hardly a week goes by that a new scientific study doesn't add more weight to the overwhelming volume of evidence that humans are causing a rise in global temperatures not seen for at least 1,000 years and perhaps hundreds of thousands of years.

We're changing the world in profound ways. The notion that it would be bad for the economy to address global warming poses the question: What kind of economy do these people expect to be around if life as we know it becomes untenable because we refused to conserve, change our ways or pay more in energy costs?

The entire march of human history suggests that technological transitions spur the economy by creating new businesses and new jobs. No one should weep for California because it has decided to confront global warming head on. In short order, Californians are going to be eating the lunch of every state and country that refuses to adapt to changing planetary conditions.

California deserves not our scorn, but our congratulations, for stepping forward to lead the way on what gives every indication of emerging as the greatest challenge of our time.