Climate dialogue starts under a new light

A committee formed by Gov. Mark Sanford to address climate change took a small step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions Wednesday, when members accepted compact fluorescent light bulbs from Progress Energy Vice President Emerson Gower.

The task of crafting statewide policies on climate change won't be as easy as changing a light bulb, but the token gift from committee member Gower highlighted the role conservation could play.

Utility company executives, environmentalists, lawmakers and others appointed by Sanford to the 30-member South Carolina Climate, Energy and Commerce Advisory Committee are sorting through a huge list of possible policies and programs.

Ideas range from enforcing speed limits to fundamentally changing the way energy is produced and consumed.

The committee has until next summer to sort out its findings.

Sanford announced the creation of the committee in February.

Scientists believe South Carolina is facing rising sea levels, hotter summers and stronger storms because of climate change.

The widespread impacts could be particularly challenging for coastal communities, wildlife and the state's two largest industries, tourism and agriculture.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, whose director Steve Smith is on the committee, released a video Wednesday intended to get people talking about the issue.

In the video, scenes of a church meeting on Edisto Island, a man fishing for trout in an Upstate stream, a golfer on Hilton Head, tourists in Charleston, and people playing at the beach roll by as announcers talk about what could be lost to climate change.

"I don't think destroying nature is Godly at all," Sen. Clementa Pinckney, D-Ridgeland and pastor of Mt. Horr AME church, say in the video.

Smith distributed copies of the video to the committee, but before the meeting he questioned the state's commitment to solutions.

"There is no way the state can say they are serious about global warming while building new coal plants," he said.

State-owned utility Santee Cooper is seeking permission to build an 835-megawatt coal-burning power plant in Florence County.

Opponents say energy conservation measures could eliminate the need for the plant and its 8.7 million annual tons of climate-warming carbon dioxide.

Santee Cooper says the plant is crucial to meeting increasing energy demands in South Carolina caused by this growth. The utility's president and CEO Lonnie Carter is also a committee member.

"We can only do so much to encourage people to conserve," Carter said.

Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.