Climate Fast Facts: Ohio

Climate and Energy Resources

• Latest Climate Science (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• Global Warming & Ohio (National Wildlife Federation)
• Cost of Delay (Environmental Defense Fund)
• Meeting the International Clean Energy and Climate Change Challenges (The White House)

Jobs

Toledo has developed 6,000 jobs in the solar sector, a very bright spot in the state's new clean energy economy (job growth of 7.3%).  A $5.6 billion investment in clean energy in Ohio would create 67,356 jobs there, reducing state unemployment by 1.1 percent.

• Clean Energy Jobs Overview (Environmental Defense Fund)
• Clean-Energy Investments Create Jobs in Ohio (Center for American Progress/PERI)
• Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in Ohio (Natural Resources Defense Council & Green For All)
• Green Prosperity: Cleveland, OH (Natural Resources Defense Council & Green For All)
• Potential Green Industry Growth in Ohio Counties (Policy Matters Ohio)
• Component Manufacturing (Apollo Alliance)
• Clean Energy and Climate Policies Lead to Economic Growth in Ohio (Environmental Entrepreneurs)
• American Innovation: Manufacturing Low Carbon Technologies in the Midwest (The Climate Group)

Opportunity

Commiting to a 30 percent growth in solar in the United States would bring 1,223 jobs and $991 million investment to Ohio. The state could realize 11,688 jobs manufacturing wind turbines and $3.90 billion investment in the wind industry alone if 50,000 MW of new wind energy is created at the national level.

• ACES Funding for Efficiency Investments-OH (Environment Northeast)

• Charting a New Path for Ohio's Electricity Generation and Use (National Wildlife Federation)
• The Clean Energy Economy: Ohio (Pew Environment Group)
• Growing Ohio's Green Energy Economy (Environment Ohio)
• Carbon Cap Critics Predict Healthy Economy in Ohio under Cap-and-Trade (PERI/UMASS)
• Great Lakes Wind Network Supply Chain Map of Ohio (Great Lakes Wind Network)
• Economic Development and Smart Growth: Columbus Case Study (International Economic Development Council)
• Renewable Energy Works: Ohio

Cut Costs

The average family in Ohio would save $9.85 per month on their energy bills and $8.37 per month on vehicle fuel costs if the American Clean Energy and Security Act was enacted.

• Climate Bill Cuts Electricity Bills (Natural Resources Defense Council)
• Climate-Protection Policies Cut Fuel Bills (Natural Resources Defense Council)
• Summary of Competitiveness Provisions in ACES (Center for Clean Air Policy)
• Analysis of Allowances to States, Energy Consumers Under HR 2454 (World Resources Institute)
• Cumulative Natural Gas & Electricity Savings from a National RES (Union of Concerned Scientists)

Climate Consequences

By the end of the century, heat waves like the one that occured in nearby Chicago in 1995 are projected to occur every other year under a conservative emissions scenario. Water levels in the Great Lakes will plummet resulting in an estimated 13 to 29 percent increase in shipping costs. The U.S. government estimates corn yeilds will drop 3 percent, losing Ohio $50 million.

• Confronting Climate Change in the Midwest: Ohio (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• Heavy Rainfall and Increased Flooding Risk: Global Warming's Wake-Up Call for the Central United States (National Wildlife Federation)
• Global Climate Change Impacts in the Midwest (U.S. Global Change Research Program)
• Global Climate Change Impacts in the U.S.: Midwest Assessment (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• Hotter Fields, Lower Yields: Global Warming's Impact on Agriculture (Environment America)

• The Corn and Climate Report (US Climate Change Science Program)
• A Preliminary Analysis of the Effects of HR 2454 on U.S. Agriculture (USDA)

• Climate Change in the United States: The Prohibitive Costs of Inaction (Union of Concerned Scientists)

State Action

While Congress debates climate and energy legislation on the Hill, Ohio has partnered with 10 other states to form the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Accord to combat the dual threats of climate change and energy security.

• Midwest States Show Leadership in Addressing Climate Change (World Resources Institute)
• Repower Ohio (Alliance for Climate Protection)
• State Action on Global Warming (Pew Center on Climate Change) (see maps on state actions)

Clean Energy Stories

• The Sun, the Wind, and the Promise of Ohio’s Clean Energy Development (Apollo Alliance)
• Pilkington Looks Through Its Glass to the Sun (Apollo Alliance)
• Cardinal Fastener Bolts To Clean Energy Profit (Apollo Alliance)
• Its Economy in Shambles, The Midwest Goes Green (Yale 360)

News and Opinion

• Cap-and-Trade Columnist Has Ties to Oil Industry (The Columbus Dispatch)
• Doesn’t See Evidence of Obama’s ‘Grab for Power’ (Vindy.com)
• US Tour Touts Green Energy Jobs (Akron Beacon Journal)
• No More Loopholes for King Coal (Columbus Ledger Enquirer)
• Farmers Want to be Part of the Solution to Global Climate Change (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Zack Space Did a Great Job with Energy Bill (Coshocton Tribune)
• Boccieri Says Cap and Trade Reduces Dependence on Foreign Oil (Times-Gazette Article)
• We All Have a Huge Role in Tackling Climate Change (Cleveland Plain Dealer Op-Ed)
• Climate for Change (Toledo Blade Editorial)
• Job Push in Clean Energy Pays Off (Columbus Dispatch Article)
• American Clean Energy and Security Act is Important (Coshocton Tribune LTE)
• ACES Will Help Rebuild Economy (Zanesville Times Recorded Op-Ed)
• Climate Change Report Shows Damage Happening Now (Cleveland Plain Dealer Article)
• Clean Energy is Better for So Many Reasons (The Vindicator LTE)
• Clean Energy Act Will Create Job Opportunities (Middletown Journal Op-Ed)