Where do the candidates stand?
October 2008. Both presidential candidates claim they will address the challenge of climate change and work to protect the environment and Americans' quality of life. But where do they really stand on these issues?
CitNet members around the country have been pressing their presidential and congressional candidates to make a stronger commitment to making America sustainable. As the November elections approach, we need to look closely at where they stand on a national strategy to achieve sustainability.
As a start, we can study Obama-Biden's "New Energy for America" plan and plan for "Promoting a Health Environment." as well as McCain-Palin's "Lexington Project" energy plan, his "Principles for Climate Policy" and positions on "natural heritage."
In contrast to the previous administration under George W. Bush, both candidates agree on the critical need to take significant steps to address climate change. Both candidates make national energy independence from foreign oil a high priority. Both criticize and claim to fight the influence of "special interests" in Washington. Both call for a market-based cap-and-trade system to fight climate change, as well as drawing on nuclear power, "clean coal," and drilling -- causing a few eyebrows to raise. With so many agreements, we need to look more closely at each candidate's proposed plan.
McCain-Palin energy strategy
McCain's energy strategy is named the "Lexington Project" with the goal of achieving energy independence by 2025. The plan involves:
- Expanding domestic oil and natural gas exploration and production.
- Taking action to break our dependency on foreign oil by reforming our transportation sector.
- Investing in clean, alternative sources of energy.
- Promoting energy efficiency.
- Addressing speculative pricing of oil.
In response to climate change, McCain aims to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. McCain's climate policy is to
- Build climate policy on Scientifically-sound, mandatory emission reduction targets and timetables.
- Climate policy should utilize a market-based cap and trade system.
- Include mechanisms to minimize costs and work effectively with other markets.
- Spur the development and deployoment of advanced technology.
- Must facilitate international efforts to solve the problem.
Obama-Biden energy strategy
Obama-Biden describe "a comprehensive energy plan that provides immediate relief to struggling families." His climate change goals include setting an emissions target of 80% reduction (below 1990 levels) by 2050 and reaching 1990 levels by 2020. Key objectives they highligh in this plan are:
- Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump.
- Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
- Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
- Put one million Plug-in Hybrid cars on the road by 2015.
- Ensure 10% of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025.
- Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050.
His primary mechanism for achieving this is a market-based cap-and-trade system. The cap and trade system requires a 100 percent auction of air pollution credits, ensuring that coal, oil and other companies pay for the emissions they release. The revenue from this system would then be invested in development and deployment of clean energy technologies, energy efficiency improvements, and subsidies to aid low-income families with their energy costs.
Obama's plan to promote a "clean energy economy" involves investing $150 billion in advanced energy technologies over the next ten years, creating new jobs in clean technologies. Part of the plan calls for new national low-carbon standards, such as (1) a national low-carbon fuel standard; (2) requiring 25% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025; and a Federal Government transition to the use of renewable sources of electricity; at least 30% by 2020.
Energy efficiency is another priority. All federal buildings are to be zero-emissions by 2025 and all new federal buildings to be 40% more energy efficient within the next five years. All new building effiency is to be increased by 50% in the coming decade. Inefficient incandescent A light bulbs are to be phased out by 2014. Federal efficiency codes are to be overhauled. Obama also wants to create a Green Job Corps.
Here are some other views...
McCain and Obama: Comparing energy and climate policies, September 29, 2008, Colorado Independent
US droughts, threatened oceans: What do Obama and McCain say? September 15, 2008, EcoLocalizer
Nader criticizes McCain and Obama on offshore drilling, September 12, 2008, Green Change
Obama and McCain Energy Smackdown, September 2, 2008, Scientists and Engineers for America
How Obama and McCain voted on environment in 2007, August 29, 2008, Earth Savvy
How green is your candidate? August 22, 2008, Grist
Sierra Club's presidential energy scorecard, August 21, 2008, Sierra Club
McCain and Obama's plans to combat climate change, July 1, 2008, TriplePundit
McCain and Obama advisors state positions at Energy Efficiency Forum, June 18, 2008, CoStar Group
Obama vs. McCain on the environment at the opening bell, Steve Cohen, Columbia University's Earth Institute (June 6, 2008)
Interview with Obama on energy and environment, July 30, 2007, Grist Magazine
League of Conservation Voters profile of Johh McCain
League of Conservation Voters profile of Barack Obama
CitNet members call for leadership
US moves towards sustainability, whether
Bush likes it or not
By Rob Wheeler, US Campaign for Leadership on Sustainable Development
