Where Science and Politics Intersect: Time to Win in Congress on Climate Change
This week the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is expected to unveil its version of clean energy and climate legislation. The new bill will arrive just a week after the release of a sobering United Nations report that concluded that the impacts of global warming are arriving faster than the world's scientists had predicted just two years ago.
One thing we can be fairly sure of even without seeing it is that the new Senate bill -- like its counterpart in the House -- won't deliver the emission reductions scientists tell us are needed to prevent the worst impacts of global warming.
Yet, if the Senate bill looks like the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES Act) passed by the House this June, it will still be a significant step toward a clean energy future. If that is the case, it will be deserving of ardent support, especially if they fix some of the biggest flaws in the House bill.
This wouldn't be my position if I believed we were stuck with this bill forever, or if it headed us in the wrong direction. But as I see it, this is the start, not the end, of federal action to limit global warming pollution. And with the science getting clearer almost every day, we have no time to waste. It's time to stop setting the stage and start the show.
The Senate bill is likely to build on the framework of the bill the House passed in June. Here's the bottom line on that bill:
Moving us toward a clean energy future
The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES Act) establishes a federal limit on global warming emissions for the first time ever. It puts a price on carbon, with some proceeds helping to transform our energy economy by investing in energy solutions of the 21st Century.
Beyond that, many of the underpinning provisions of the bill that have not received the attention they deserve take major steps to unleash the clean energy revolution this country truly needs. The bill sets new energy efficiency standards for appliances, dramatically improves building codes to lower energy use, and reduces our dependence on oil by requiring pollution standards for large trucks and ensuring that transportation investments are made with energy and global warming in mind.
The ACES Act will lead to measurable reductions in electricity consumption versus business-as-usual trends, as well as lower oil consumption, greater use of renewable energy, and a dramatic reduction in the amount of electricity we generate through the use of fossil fuels such as coal.
No doubt the bill has major flaws
While setting any cap on the nation's global warming emissions is historic, the cap in ACES has two major problems. The reduction called for in the cap-and-trade program is only 17 percent by 2020. Clear progress, but nowhere near enough. In addition, by allowing for much of the cap to be met by offsets - actions that take place overseas or in areas of the economy not covered by the emission cap - the real emission reductions could be significantly eroded in the short term.
The bill also takes away EPA's authority to crack down on pollution from the nation's oldest coal-fired power plants. It is a testament to the power of the coal industry and utilities that the dirtiest old plants have slipped through legal loopholes for decades. The House bill perpetuates that problem and makes it worse.
The requirements for energy efficiency and renewable energy are also far too low. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the renewable energy standard in the ACES Act would lead to no more clean energy than business as usual (although other provisions of the bill will encourage modest growth in renewables). And while the bill takes notable steps forward in promoting energy efficiency, it still falls well short of tapping America's full efficiency potential.
One step forward one step back? Or the first step in a journey of a thousand miles?
We have precious little time to deal with global warming before global warming deals with us. This bill is a good beginning.
I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't think we could improve the cap and other standards after we get this first version passed. And if I thought we had the support we needed to overcome the powerful coal, oil, utility and agriculture interests to do dramatically more within a year or two, I'd take a pass. But balancing the science with the politics and public opinion, this bill is the right thing right now.
Once in place, Congress will be able to improve numerous provisions in this bill. We've done just that in state after state on clean energy policy. In recent years, 29 states and the District of Columbia adopted renewable electricity standards requiring that a certain percentage of electricity consumed in the state come from clean sources. They didn't all start out as strong as we wanted, but they laid a framework that we have built on since. Of the 29 states, 17 - more than half - have increased their renewable electricity target or accelerated the timeline after adoption of the original bill. Seven states have improved their standards twice.
Good politics begets good politics. Once we enact a federal clean energy and global warming bill, and as voters start to see the benefits, I'm confident we will be able to muster the public support to put a stronger bill over the top in the near future.
Unfortunately the converse is also true. If this bill fails, or if it gets further weakened, the story will be that clean energy and global warming policy are neither popular nor winnable. Elected officials will disengage rather than engaging even further.
A dozen years ago, the Senate voted 95 to 0 in opposition to signing the Kyoto Protocol. Last year when a global warming bill was on the Senate floor, it was withdrawn after three days of ugly debate. We just didn't have the votes.
This year is different. With the Copenhagen negotiations just months away and the EPA moving forward to address global warming, our years of hard work and leadership by state governments are paying off. Passing a solid bill through the U.S. Congress won't just be a nod in the right direction; it will be the first of many steps in the journey of a thousand miles toward a cleaner, healthier, and safer world.
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Headline in St. Louis Post Dispatch: Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill not buying into cap & trade as a solution for climate change. She is so deep in the pockets of the coal and coal utility industry, that she is refusing to support the legislation. Her concern is that it is going to hurt the poor. She doesn't get the fact that the legislation will create new jobs for the poor. This is a front to portect her kley corporate polluter supporters in both industries.
Lady we can't even get it together to reform health care enough to save our own lives and you want us to cooperate and save the PLANET???
Get real.
Sometimes I wonder if people really realize the impact that this climate and energy bill would have. If the administration had been serious about insurance reform, they would have (in my humble opinion) tackled energy and climate first, and started the process to reduce some of the reasons people get sick in the first place, thus reducing the need for insurance, thus reducing the cost.
But, seeing how insurance reform has gone, it looks as if we will again be at the mercy of BigCorporations, and their big pockets. Any measures that are implemented willl be half @ssed and incompetant.
Oh well..the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Doing something small, to look like they're doing something big, without ever doing anything at all...
Don't hold your breath waiting for ANY AMERICAN POLITICIAN to pass anything that helps heal this planet.
You want more to think about on this issue? Enter The Apollo Alliance in NY...Look them up yourselves. Very soon you will see what has been exposed and documented.
Thanks!
'Our Mission'
'The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution that will put millions of Americans to work in a new generation of high-quality, green-collar jobs. Inspired by the Apollo space program, we promote investments in energy efficiency, clean power, mass transit, next-generation vehicles, and emerging technology, as well as in education and training. Working together, we will reduce carbon emissions and oil imports, spur domestic job growth, and position America to thrive in the 21st century economy.'
http://apolloalliance.org/
This is all about Politics. When Al Gore states "Debate Is Over" he is not telling you all the facts. For example... This Global Warming Issue is an inexact science period..it simply is a consenses of opinions. There are over 30,000 other scientists, climatologists, and PHD's and other 'ists' from all over the world, with no agendas, that disagree. It has been said that Man contributes around 2% on any ill effects upon Global Warming, If this is about correct, then if China and India do not go along with proposed regulations... any and all changes we and others do are meaningless. How can 2% out of 100% be considered any crises? Why is not Nuclear a true way to go? Perhaps as some would say we do not know how to dispose spent nuclear waste? Do any of you think France has not addressed that question and to any and all dangers to not only themselves but to all of the world population?...Do you honestly think Iran cares as they continue to go nuclear?...Think Motive Motive Motive.
Al Gore should have said, "the debate is virtually over." All that's left on the denial side of the AGW "debate" are the faith-based, and the fossil fuel-shilling pseudo-scientists.
If there is no AGW problem, as you say, then there is no reason to go nuclear?
'Yucca Mountain may never be used, but a physicist lays out his argument favoring repositories over costly reprocessing.'
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-vonhippel15-2009sep15,0,2705493.story
France has to shut down its plants because the water is often too warm to cool the reactors.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13818689
i hope this planet don't end because of politics.
I'm hoping my kids come out of all this with the shirt, "I survived the Holocene Extinction and all I got was this lousy t-shirt and a 3rd world dustbowl."
LET 01L TRADERS+REPUBLICANS DENY CLIMATE CHANGE BUT THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING AND NOTHING CAN STOP IT!
Much like early innovative days when automobiles were first being developed dozens and dozens of ELECTRIC CAR competitors are encouraged to spur innovation in NEW car technology!
An exciting time for Engineers and technologists!
“In MA we had a lithium-ion battery company go public raising $350 million on day one. They are a leader in battery innovation for automobiles."
What will happen to BIG 01L and this must be a 1-2 punch in the Gut!
15 mpg to 35 mpg to 99 mpg to 230 mpg to 300 mpg to electric=0IL imports drop like a rock!
100 to 300 mpg for hybrids and electric cars have to make traders want to sell 0IL NOW!
Going from a SUV with 15 mpg to 300 mpg=2,000% improvement in FUEL Efficiency!
__________ __________ _____
Gas prices in 2008 were $5 per gallon in California and $6 per gallon in Canada!
If you drive say 20,000+ miles/year the savings are large!
Moving from a SUV or Truck to high mileage 40+mpg car makes sense in many ways!
______________
True story of BIG OIL: In 1977 my friend a mechanical engine genius rebuilt a carburetor for a 1977 Chevy Impala 4dr, BIG CAR, GAS HOG, so it got 40 mpg!
HE got a patent on it and that patent was purchased by Mobile for the huge sum at the time of $250k. Patent was never used!
STOP G0LDMAN!
All sales and management of permits must be done by the Government! NOT FOR PROFIT!
What is the DOWN SIDE or RISK OF BEING WRONG?
1. Assume NO CLIMATE CHANGE AND IT HAPPENS:
Answer: More islands and coast lines are covered/flooded! Solutions take years more to develop and crops fail in 0k1ahoma and other farm states. Food and grain shortages occur and prices skyrocket! America falls behind other nations due to high costs of Energy. China uses low energy costs to their advantage in manufacturing and exports and USA deficits grow!
2. Assume Climate Change is Happening and IT DOES NOT:
Answer: America stops importing 01L with average of 55 MPG and wind and solar energy providing 50% of all Electric Power. America's cost advantages power new Manufacturing Revolution and Exports skyrocket. The deficit drops and average income increases with a shortage of workers to fill all the new technology positions!
Some how I think the DOWNSIDE in scenario 2 is NOT SO BAD!
Let those that want to believe Scenario 1 do so at their OWN RISK! The rest of us should GET to WORK NOW!
ACES IS A BANKSTERS BILL!
ACES creates the largest new derivatives market in history.
Including Credit default swap!
ACES gives 50B to the main source of co2: CAL.
ACES doesn't even start to reduce the cap for ten years!
The existing European cap and trade system recently crashed 20% and had to be shut down.
1$ per ton carbon tax. Simple, unavoidable,
where the bill to cover every good roof with pv solar? where are the feed in tariffs? where are the bills to convert all our organic waste and sewage into BioFuals?
Our governmnet is bought.
You know, the RPS and RECs have been proven to be a LESS AFFORDABLE, LESS EFFECTIVE way to get serious amounts of clean power into our grid than the PROVEN FEED IN TARIFFS, yet year after year goes by and there is no bill supporting the generous payments for regular Americans who are willing to do all the heavy lifting of renewable energy generation - without slaughtering millions of acres of wilderness, remonopolizing the grid and depleting all our deserts' freshwater sources - and all RIGHT WHERE THE POWER IS NEEDED, WHEN IT IS NEEDED. All we need is the same return on investment that our utilities are GUARANTEED - 10-15%. What's the problem and where is our legislation?
Cap and trade is a JOKE. it is a crappy Big Energy giveaway that will result in NO changes except another layer of wall street profiteering, another greenwash for business as usual, and an excuse for Chevron, BP, Bechtel, Goldman Sachs and other mercenaries to dynamite, bulldoze, pave and destroy millions of acres of our precious wilderness for Big Solar and Big Wind boondoggles. Disgusting.
FAIR FEED IN TARIFFS NOW!
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