This year is on track to extend the streak of hottest years on record for this planet. Colorado has experienced exactly the extreme weather events predicted by the science of climate change.

Each day, each year it’s becoming clearer that climate change is not a debatable prediction for a dire future but a present reality. That’s why we’re celebrating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, the largest step this country has ever taken to cut carbon pollution, which is driving global warming. Colorado’s current renewable energy plan will play an important part of meeting our carbon reduction goal.

Solid science makes it clear we must slash emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases from electric power generation. We need to replace dirty fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy sources to avoid continuing devastating climate impacts. The Clean Power Plan does just that by setting state-by-state limits on carbon pollution from power plants, the largest source of heat-trapping pollution in the country.

As we rely less and less on carbon-polluting electrical generation, we need other means to meet our energy needs. Clean, renewable energy is ready to rise to the challenge.

Colorado is well positioned to meet its limits with increased development of clean energy. Colorado has one of the most ambitious renewable electricity standards in the country and, as a result, our current wind generation displaces enough global-warming pollution per year to equal the effect of taking 525,000 cars off the road. In fact, Colorado has the opportunity and potential to go above and beyond the targets laid out by the Clean Power Plan – which is exactly what we need to do to avoid the worst impacts of a changing climate.

The support across the state is undeniable. Citizens, clean energy businesses, recreational businesses, such as rafting and skiing companies, as well as health professionals across the state, have joined bipartisan majorities of Coloradans to support these carbon-pollution limits and the transition to clean energy.

Local companies such as Aspen Skiing Company and New Belgium Brewery have joined major national companies such as Mars Incorporated, Kellogg, Adidas, and Staples to publicly support the Clean Power Plan.

The carbon polluters and their allies in Congress, however, are waging an intense battle against the Clean Power Plan. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to do everything in his power to block or delay it. And because his powers only go so far, he and his fossil-fuel allies have turned to governors, attorneys general and polluters from across the country to wage a comprehensive assault on the plan.

As the opposition campaign ramps up in Congress, in the courts and in the states, our congressional delegation and our governor should support the path we have set in Colorado to meet and exceed the standards set by the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. We should continue our path to shift Colorado from fossil fuel power to clean energy sources such as solar and wind.

For the sake of our environment, economy, and future generations, we can’t afford to wait to tackle global warming.

State Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood, represents House District 23 in Jefferson County. He chairs the House Transportation and Energy Committee and the Joint Technology Committee and is a member of the Public Health Care and Human Services Committee, the Legislative Implementation and Review Committee for the our Health Care Exchange and the Appropriations Committee. Kim Stevens is state director of Environment Colorado.