Climate change as a local issue

Coach P comments:

Are state legislatures a feasible option for passing climate change legislation when Congress won't?

Unfortunately not.  Local piecemeal action is too little, too late.  According to Der Spiegel’s fascinating coverage of Copenhagen climate summit negotiations:

Merkel took one last stab. The reduction of greenhouse gases by 50 percent, that is, limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, was a reference to what is written in the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report. Then she directed a dramatic appeal at the countries seeking to block the treaty: "Let us suppose 100 percent reduction, that is, no CO2 in the developed countries anymore. Even then, with the (target of) two degrees, you have to reduce carbon emissions in the developing countries. That is the truth."

To be blunt, even if western industrialized nations cut greenhouse emissions to zero today, we would still be in trouble.