[article] California to sue car companies for global warming

mike65

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5365728.stm

The state of California is suing six carmakers for costs associated with their cars' greenhouse gas emissions.

The suit names General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Honda, Chrysler and Nissan.

California is asking for "monetary compensation" for the damage which it says their emissions are doing to health, economy and environment.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), a pan-industry body, called it a "nuisance" suit and suggested it may be dismissed.

"Right now, global warming is harming California," runs the state's complaint.

"Human-induced global warming has, among other things, reduced California's snow pack (a vital source of fresh water), caused an earlier melting of the snow pack, raised sea levels along California's coastline, increased ozone pollution in urban areas, [and] increased the threat of wildfires."

Mike.

Nukem

And with the election 45days away - wonder why Arnie pushed this home?

Gurgle

California is asking for "monetary compensation" for the damage which it says their emissions are doing to health, economy and environment.

So instead of having stringent regulations about emisions, or taxing cars based on their emissions, or some communist junk like that, they let them be used for 100 years and then decided to sue.

I've a funny feeling this is one of those stories from the dart-board.

cormie

It's a bit late alright, but better than nothing. Hopefully something will be done to improve the issue.

Gurgle

cormie wrote:

It's a bit late alright, but better than nothing. Hopefully something will be done to improve the issue.

Very much doubt it.

If they actually wanted to do something, they'd make it more expensive to run fuel-guzzling SUVs.

They just want to be seen to be doing something for the environment.
Can't blame themselves.
Can't blame the corporations who pay them.
Certainly can't blame the voters.

Not much of an automotive-building industry in California, they'll do.

lostexpectation

mike65 wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5365728.stm



Mike.

and this from Mr Hummer?

RedPlanet

Gurgle wrote:

So instead of having stringent regulations about emisions, or taxing cars based on their emissions, or some communist junk like that, they let them be used for 100 years and then decided to sue.

I've a funny feeling this is one of those stories from the dart-board.

Not quite like that.
The US lags behind just about every country insofar as emissions regulations.
California has tried to change that by introducing a law that sets emissions regulations much higher (on par with the EU and China.)
The automobile manufacturers are sueing California to have the law tossed out.
From that bbc linked article:

Car manufacturers have their own case against California pending over laws requiring them to reduce emissions.

I would say this current story is more like a counter-suit.

Al Gore talks about this in Inconvenient Truth, which i highly recommend watching.

MCMLXXXIII

Ridiculous.

The car companies should sue Gov. Hummer and the government for the way they zoned the cities so that everyone needs to drive just to go to the market and for not providing safe and efficient public transit systems.

silverharp

MCMLXXXIII wrote:

Ridiculous.

The car companies should sue Gov. Hummer and the government for the way they zoned the cities so that everyone needs to drive just to go to the market and for not providing safe and efficient public transit systems.

your argument is back to front I 'm afraid, the car companies bought up alot of the trollybus services in the 20's and 30's that once existed in the US and paved them over so that people had to buy cars or buses.