Iowa Global Warming

Two House Democrats revealed a bill Tuesday that would cap greenhouse gases. Representatives Henry A. Waxman of California and Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts proposed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which would function as cap and trade legislation. 

The bill calls for more ambitious caps on heat-trapping gases than President Obama’s plan by requiring a reduction in gases of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The president’s plan called for a reduction of 14 percent, but both plans have the ultimate goal of 80 percent reduction by 2050.

Under the bill, each region would be required to produce one quarter of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. It also requires modernization of the electricity grid, production of more electric vehicles and increased efficiency in buildings, appliances and electricity generation. It does not include details on how pollution allowances will be distributed, what fraction of them will be either free or auctioned and how the money generated from auctions will be spent. These will be discussed after the Easter recess ends on April 20.

Though the bill has some opposition, Representative Waxman explains, “Our goal is to strengthen our economy by making America the world leader in new clean-energy and energy-efficiency technologies.”

Read more here

Its time for the weekly news update, brought to you by the Iowa Global Warming Campaign! Scroll down for short descriptions of interesting articles that ran around the country this week.

Kenneth Lieberthal, a former National Security Council Officer under President Clinton, announced this week that he believes the only way the U.S. can adequately address international greenhouse gas emissions is to hold a joint climate summit with China. In what would be a departure from the happenings of recent years, Lieberthal recommended that “We should use Sino-U.S. cooperation in order to create momentum for other countries’ efforts, which will in turn increase the chances for success at the global climate negotiations.” Read more here

The Obama team released their long-awaited budget proposal Thursday morning and revealed that in an effort to reduce the ever growing deficit, would be counting expected revenues from a yet-to-be-enacted carbon Cap and Trade system. Just how much money do they expect will be collected by the selling of Carbon emission permits? By 2012, the administration expects to raise $78.6 billion dollars in funding, and between 2012-2019, an additional $640 Billion. Read more about the proposed bill, how it would work and when it would likely start to take effect here

The week’s biggest disappointment was the “total failure” of NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory Satellite, which crash-landed into the ocean near Antarctica early Wednesday morning. The Taurus XL Rocket was the product of a $270 million project, and was completely destroyed when it failed to enter orbit due to a malfunctioning protective shell. Read more here

Finally, a sign that the campaign against plastic bags is working; UK stores distributed 3.5 Billion fewer plastic bags this year than last, a change of 26.6%. One company, Britain’s largest retailer Tesco, was responsible for reducing the need for 2 Billion of those bags through a “consumer rewards” program, which gave store credit for those shopping with canvas bags. The plan has worked so well that retailers are looking now to reduce the number of plastic bags to 50% of their 2006 levels by May. Though the changes so far have all resulted from consumer industries making (and keeping) their own commitments. However, should they fail to do so in the future, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs noted that it would retain its right to institute a fee if the need for one should arise.

Thats all for this week! Be sure to check in next week for more news stories, and perhaps an account of my weekend spent at Powershift in DC!

Watch it LIVE here: (CSPAN)

OR

Read about it here: Wall Street Journal.

Al Gore, Climate Enthusiast, takes questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington this morning. Will he call for a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade system, more active leadership, or ALL THREE? Find out for yourself! And then, get inspired and SIGN OUR PETITION!

Congress cannot wait for the economy to recover to enact reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, according to an Iowa congressman positioned to play a significant role in addressing the issue.

“We have ignored this problem for far too long,” said Rep. Bruce Braley, a Democrat who was recently awarded a seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “It’s time to start working.”

Business groups warn that imposing limits on emissions will drive up energy costs at a time when manufacturers already are shedding jobs by the thousands because of the global economic downturn. Manufacturers in Iowa and nationwide also worry that they’ll be put at a disadvantage to competitors in China and other countries that are building new coal-fired power plants.

“We need to have a grown-up conversation about what we can do and in the time frame that we need to do it without an undue disruption of the economy,” said Hank Cox, a spokesman for the National Association of Manufacturers. Its members include firms that are based in Iowa or have major operations there, including Vermeer Corp., Terra Industries Inc., Whirlpool Corp., and Bunge North America.

However, two growing sectors of Iowa’s economy, ethanol and wind energy, would benefit from increasing the cost of gasoline andcoal-generated electricity.

President-elect Barack Obama has made clear through a series of key appointments that the issue is going to be a top priority for his administration. Democratic congressional leaders have delivered the same message as well.

Read the full article here

By LIZ SIDOTI
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Calling climate change an urgent challenge, President-elect Barack Obama promised Tuesday that Washington would take a leading role in combating it in the United States and throughout the world. “My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change,” Obama said in a video message to governors and others attending a Los Angeles summit on the issue.

In the roughly four-minute message, Obama reiterated his support for a cap-and-trade system approach to cutting green house gases. He would establish annual targets to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them another 80 percent by 2050. Obama also promoted anew his proposal to invest $15 billion each year to support private sector efforts toward clean energy.

Read the full story here