On Climate Change, Environmental Groups Want Obama to Reverse Troubled Bush Legacy
Most groups agree, as does Obama, that the United States must cut carbon dioxide emissions by at least 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by midcentury to avoid some of the direst consequences predicted by computer models. This puts them in conflict with a "discussion draft" of a bill being floated by House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell of Michigan, a longtime supporter of the Detroit auto industry. Dingell's bill outlines much more lenient cuts in the short term. As it happens, Dingell could lose his chairmanship to Rep. Henry Waxman, who—to many environmentalists' delight—would promote a more aggressive climate change approach.
One disagreement among environmentalists is how the government should spend the money—trillions of dollars over several decades, according to estimates—that an emissions credit auction would generate. Some groups want to see that money invested in conservation or green technology. Others, however, say that it was that type of earmarking that created tension last time around and helped sink the bill. One idea being floated: giving the money back to taxpayers, as a sort of divided payment.
Reader Comments
A giant sun contoling device in the works?
So whats the administration going to do? Build a giant device that controls the sun? Since that is what causes climate change.
Current Score:
Farmers Almanac 1
IPCC 0
Reinvesting in the ONE planet/people
Most people seem to think the economic crisis means we can't afford to be green, but reality is the opposite. What the triple crisis of finance, peak oil, and environment tell us is that we have to transition to a very different kind of society (everywhere) NOT built on cheap, non-renewable, dirty energy, and this transition will be facilitated ironically by bad times combined with governmental vision. Carbon credits generated from dirty industries will provide incentives for getting cleaner and exploring clean green alternatives, and their best destination is not just conservation but profit-and -job generating rehabilitation of the many damaged landscapes now out there, at home and abroad. Preventive health care, education, employment, environmental training will go a long way towards making peace with the bottom billion now furious about their marginalization, undermining a source of terrorism as well as environmental destruction. And this is the US's chance to become a true world leader respected by most, and envied by the rest. The 'hot, flat, crowed' world is upon us, and fate has handed us a momentous exit opportunity--lets hope Obama's up to the challenge. It may rock your world and mine, but we have only one, and its hurting.
He better be fast
Climate change advocates better light a fire under our next President to get their economy busting, irrelevant legislation past. If they wait too long, we will have lost another degree off of the former high average temps, Sara Palen will be frozen in 8 months a year and polar bears will be roaming the streets of Washington, DC. The press and idiots at the UN will have moved on to bird flu 2 and/or the preparation of the end of like as we know it during I3K.
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