Fran Pavley, senior climate advisor of the National Resources Defense Council, spoke at the Capitol and at UW-Madison Wednesday about global warming and its impact on health in her home state, California.
At the campus lecture, Pavley was introduced by John Young, UW-Madison professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, and the state of Wisconsin's climatologist.
Young said global warming applies to Wisconsin because there are climate scientists here who can further research on the issue.
""They will be required to deal with global warming on a national level and have to help Wisconsin get through the big challenge,"" he said.
Pavley, who is in between terms in the California Senate, said she is very excited that many students are taking an interest in global warming because she wants to make the world's future better.
She said the biggest concerns revolve around health issues for California residents. Not only in Los Angeles, but also in Fresno and the Central Valley, air pollution is so bad that one out of every five elementary school students must walk to school with an inhaler because they are asthmatic.
Most recently, Pavley helped pass Assembly Bill 1493, requiring the California Air Resources Board to mandate that automobile tail-pipe emission be reduced by 30 percent by the year 2016, starting with model year 2009.
Furthermore, Pavley is hoping that California Executive Order S-3-05 will help the state control green house gas emissions. She hopes that by the year 2020 the emission rates will be 80 percent lower than in 1990.
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, an avid environmental advocate, said there has never been an issue as big as global warming.
He said he is impressed with Pavley and the state of California's work and hopes that Wisconsin can follow in its footsteps and take an aggressive stance against global warming.
He said Wisconsin has always been a leader in regard to improving the environment, and once he saw a ""lack of leadership at the federal level ... felt it was necessary to step in.""
