Hurricane Gustav Highlights Risks of America's Oil Addiction

"Although no single weather
event can be attributed to global warming, it’s critical to understand that a
warming climate is supplying the very conditions that fuel the strongest
storms," said Amanda Staudt, Ph.D., climate scientist, National Wildlife
Federation.

The latest science paints
an alarming picture about what global warming has in store for the U.S. Gulf and
Atlantic Coasts.

"While the past two years
were relatively mild in terms of U.S. impacts," Dr. Staudt said, "this hurricane
season is a stark reminder of what science tells us is likely from a new era of
stronger hurricanes fueled by global-warming: higher wind speeds, more
precipitation, and bigger storm surge in the coming decades.

"Our dependency on oil is
driving our global warming emissions and helping fuel these more intense storms,
which in turn threaten our energy infrastructure and lead to higher prices for
American consumers," said Adam Kolton, senior director of congressional and
federal affairs, National Wildlife Federation.

"Congress needs to deliver
a new national energy policy that will give Americans more choices and a more
secure energy future," Kolton said. "Clean energy solutions can ease our
addiction to fossil fuels, help families cut their energy bills, and solve the
climate crisis."

Find out more about the
connection between global warming and stronger hurricanes in the National
Wildlife Federation’s new report, Global Warming’s Wake-Up Call for
the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic Coasts. 

Learn more about the real
solutions that would cut our energy costs and ease our addiction to fossil fuels
in the National Wildlife Federation’s Don’t be Fooled fact sheet.