Council to develop a climate action plan for Kentucky

Tona Barkley was quoted this week in an article by Andy Mead in the Lexington Herald-Leader about the formation of a Kentucky Climate Action Plan Council. Barkley is a member of the Frankfort Climate Action Network and has been an active participant in the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance. On Thursday she attended the first meeting of the state-appointed Climate Action Plan Council as an observer.

Here's the clip from Mead's article:

 

"The (Ky Climate Action Plan) council includes Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry (who sent a representative in his place Thursday), and state and federal officials. It also includes people from the coal, aluminum, lumber and automobile industries, and two or three people who could be identified as environmentalists. That didn't escape Tona Barkley, a member of the Frankfort Climate Action Network, who sat through the 51/2-hour meeting to speak during a public comment period at the end. She said that the council was a great idea but added that she would like to see more environmentalists on it."

The Council's task is to "Identify opportunities for Kentucky to respond to the challenge of global climate change while becoming more energy efficient, more energy independent and spurring economic growth." The group's work will be supported by a consulting organization called the Center for Climate Strategies. According to materials prepared by CCS:

• From 1990 to 2005, Kentucky's emissions increased at double the national rate.
• Kentucky emissions rose 33 percent during the period; nationwide, emissions rose 16 percent.

The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development is the only member group of the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance to have a representative appointed to the 32 member Council.

The formation of the Council was discussed on a recent KySEA conference call. Several individuals and groups are planning to circulate a letter urging the expansion of the Council to include additional representation, including from affordable housing groups, environmental organizations, and local climate action planning groups.