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Global Warming Talking Points... A Push for Cap and Trade
Now that a majority of Americans want immediate action against global warming, what rhetoric and policy would best address this newly-bipartisan concern?
The message must inspire. And the most inspirational rhetoric emphasizes freedom, independence, and self-sufficiency, and taps into the "belief that America can do anything once we make the commitment," reports Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, a Democratic pollster commissioned by the Center for American Progress.
On this particular point, however, Bill McKibben might disagree. The consultants say we should link healthy climate to economic growth, because clean energy would help to restore America as a leader in the world economy, create jobs, and raise incomes. McKibben, on the other hand, calls for no less than a philosophical rejection of the drive for economic growth.
What the firm considers a feasible political agenda:
•Mileage standards of 40 mpg
•Tax credits for people and companies using alternative energy
•A mandatory cap-and-trade market to reduce emissions by 2 percent per year
Speaking of which, the push for cap-and-trade made major headway this week. A major corporate petition has doubled its membership this week. The U.S. Climate Change Partnership now includes such giants as General Motors, Shell, DuPont, and Lehman Brothers. They have partnered with nonprofits such as Environmental Defense, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the World Resources Institute - plus two new groups, The Nature Conservancy and National Wildlife Federation. The want federal laws to curb the country's carbon emissions by 60 to 80 percent by 2050.
Also, ten states are creating the first mandatory carbon cap-and-trade program in the United States. They're trying to avoid the mistakes of the European Union's first go at it.
No WTO is a start. If we buy locally than we will save a lot of green house gase production since a substantial amount comes from transportation and the manaufacturing conditions in China, the land of bad air.
"The consultants say we should link healthy climate to economic growth, because clean energy would help to restore America as a leader in the world economy, create jobs, and raise incomes."
Umm...we're kind of already THE leader in the world economy, and unemployment is quite low. I fail to make the connection between greater use of clean energy and higher incomes, except for perhaps a select few industries.
That said, I am all for development of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies. Some of these steps seem to be going in the right direction.
This is great!! I'm a big fan of RGGI. I'd actually like to see them sell the credits for more than the expected auction price rather than auctioning them off. At auction, we guarantee all credits will be sold. At a premium, if companies must, they will buy the credits. If they can reduce faster than expected/required, that would be encouraged. Still though, RGGI is a great start. Even an auction still avoids the problems of the give-away that Kyoto learned the hard way. I am also very glad to see corporations taking part in leading the way.
Monkey See No Evil
Here Read:
+ New climate change legislation overlooks a major GHG source: industrial ag / Grist Magazine:
–”The bill fails to address greenhouse gas emission reductions from agriculture, factory farms, and animal manure whatsoever–and even goes the extra mile to specifically exempt the entire sector from any type of regulation.”
“Enteric fermentation is literally the largest source of methane emissions in the entire country.”
+ EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program / EPA:
–”Municipal solid waste landfills are the second largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.”
“At the same time, methane emissions from landfills represent a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy source.”
Also read:
+ Beware emissions trading, airlines stand to make billions / Mother Jones,
+ The Carbon Folly / BusinessWeek,
+ The Case Against Carbon Trading / Transnational Institute:
–”…Citigroup’s Peter Atherton confessed that the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme had ‘done nothing to curb emissions.’ He admitted,‘Prices up, emissions up, profits up …’ Who wins and loses? Coal and nuclear-based generators–biggest winners. Hedge funds and energy traders–even bigger winners. Losers … Consumers!”
Rather than cap-and-trade, the Govt. should set caps on GreenHouse Gas emission, then provide 0-interest loans for companies to Go Green (when such cannot afford to).
Also Read:
+ Loophole may mean bigger, not smaller, cars / MSNBC:
--"New rules may actually encourage automakers to build behemoths."
"Too bad the rules will discourage automakers from manufacturing the kind of small cars that the Obamaites favor and, in some cases, encourage carmakers to do exactly the opposite. That's right: make some models bigger."
"... the legislation, while forcing a significant boost in fuel economy, has loopholes big enough to drive a truck through."
"But say a big SUV misses its target by one mile per gallon. A carmaker could just make the vehicle a bit larger, allowing it to hit an easier fuel economy target."
"'The system doesn't do anything to encourage smaller vehicles,' ... And even if gasoline prices rise again and prompt consumers to look for smaller cars, he says, the new rules give automakers less incentive to sell more of them.
+ From Bagels to Coal Fires: An Unorthodox Economist Keeps Pushing for Change / NY Times, 2007:
–”… the abundance of underground coal fires in abandoned mines and other places that not only waste coal but contribute mightily to worldwide carbon dioxide emissions.”
”… underground fires in China alone contribute as much CO2 to the atmosphere each year as all the cars and light trucks in the U.S.”
Meanwhile, the Climate Change Bill grants BILLIONS in subsidies to Clean Coal.
Here Read:
+ The Illusion of Clean Coal / The Economist:
+ Trouble in store--Carbon capture and storage / The Economist:
+ The Dirty Truth About Clean Coal / BusinessWeek,
+ King Coal's Latest Con--Clean Coal is Not Clean / CommonDreams
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