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Introduction "Recognizing that all human economic activity is a subset of nature's economy and must not degrade its vitality is the starting point for systemic transformation of the energy system. "' There is widespread scientific agreement that the increasing quantity of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere is causing temperatures to rise and increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and that human activities are the primary cause.' The accumulation of greenhouse gases is a major threat to the climate stability of the earth. Arguably, no other issue threatens our planet with such dramatic, far - reaching impacts, and no other issue is so clearly a worldwide problem. The world's leading scientists predict that, in the absence of radical societal change, global average temperature will rise from 2.7 to 11 degrees F. within our children's lifetimes. Already, effects of climate change are being seen, from melting of the Arctic permafrost, to the disappearance of glaciers worldwide, to rising sea levels around islands and other low -lying areas, and the acidification of oceans. Erratic weather and extreme events such as droughts, floods, heat waves, avalanches and hurricanes are becoming more common. The primary cause of global climate change is the burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas. These activities release gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that accumulate in the atmosphere and trap the sun's heat, thereby warming the earth – the so- called "greenhouse effect ". The greenhouse effect is essential for life on earth, but rapidly increasing levels of greenhouse gases during the past 200 years are now destabilizing the climate. Average global temperature have already risen an unprecedented 1 -2 degrees F during this period, and the impacts of emissions that have already occurred will take decades to cycle through ecosystems. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have reached their highest level in 160,000 years, and are rising at a rate 500 times higher than ever before in history. Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow of the Post Carbon Institute regarded as one of the world's foremost energy and climate action experts, says this: "The most important thing to understand about the energy transition is that it's not optional. Delay would be fatal. It's time to make a plan— however sketchy, however challenging —and run with it, revising it as we go. "' In Carrboro, the effects of climate change over the next century are likely to be significant. They may include the migration of hardwood forests northward to cooler areas. We will have to cope with hotter summers and more frequent floods, droughts, and intense storms, with more money diverted to repair damage from these events. Our local ecosystems could experience a broad range of negative trends and losses, and ecological diversity will likely decline. All of the careful planning, stewardship of beautiful i rlhe E..in +:: it I� +:: <a� +:: ir: Cyv +:: irk +:: v +:: Ilc� . irr7 +:: int <ain� tlh +:: f.: > +:: Ila�.�iic�in c�i f::::in�ll +::.�.� Circ�wY:lh Tom Butler Daniel Lerch and George .................................................. g....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... .............................x. g Wuerthner, eds. (Healdsburg, CA: Watershed Media, 2012) ' IhtY:IL: QCLAirrentC +int + w 1.2:13V.i+ ................. ....................................................................................../. ................. . /...:........................ s http: / /www.yesmagazine.org/ issues /life- after -oil/ 100 - renewable- energy- what -we- can- do- in -10- years- 20160222 2