Congressional debate gives hope on climate change
Energy Agenda
Julia Blocher
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: Science
1 The heat is on in Washington as cries for serious action on climate change come from across the country. Citizens, universities and even businesses are increasingly demanding reforms. The question is no longer whether the federal government will institute changes, but rather how exactly the changes will be made.
There are four climate action bills currently being reviewed on Capitol Hill. Although they vary in strictness, they all call for mandatory caps and gradual reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. This approach reflects a resolute commitment to promoting sustainable energy and confronting the impacts of global climate change.
The push for change has started outside of Washington. For example, several major universities, including Brown, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell have recently announced plans to go carbon-neutral.
Hopkins has not been left out. The new Flexcar car-sharing program is being introduced this week as part of the Sustainability Initiative. Several other steps to reduce energy consumption at Hopkins are in the works, including using renewable energies and designing more efficient buildings.
The Hopkins Energy Action Team (HEAT), a student group, seeks to challenge our community to rise above even the federal proposals currently under consideration by going completely carbon-neutral.
Hopkins joins other organizations across the country pursuing reformed energy policy. The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of major corporations in the energy and chemical industries along with environmental groups, is making a push for ambitious federal emission caps. Many large cities, such as Seattle, Washington and Boulder, Co., have accepted the Kyoto Protocol in their jurisdictions, aiming unilaterally to reduce their emissions.
Widespread public support is making an impact on Washington's decisions. The four bills currently on the table show that the federal government is finally trying to responsibly address the issue of global warming.
All of the bills propose a "declining cap-and-trade" system, which mandates an overall emissions limit for polluters. In addition, industries can buy and trade permits so the overall level of pollutants decreases while the companies continue to function profitably.
The most conservative bill, written by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), proposes a cap-and-trade system that limits the intensity of emissions. Allowable intensity would be reduced yearly by 2.6 percent from 2012 to 2021. The bill also proposes a limit on the amount of money companies would be forced to spend on emission reduction efforts.
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) and Thomas Carper (D-Del.) introduced a bill that would cap allowable emissions at 2006 levels starting in 2011 to 2014. The bill would also allow carbon-offsetting (such as planting trees) as a substitute for emissions cuts.
A bill originally authored by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) was recently re-introduced by Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.). This bill would require industries, especially heavy polluters, to cap their 2012 emissions at the 2000 level, then decrease their emissions to just one-third of 2000 levels by 2050. The bill also offers subsidies for nuclear power.
The most ambitious bill, proposed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), calls for the electric and automotive industries to reduce emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050, which would be achieved through incentives for clean energy technologies. This bill supports but does not require a cap-and-trade system.
Countless individuals and organizations across the country are discovering the many benefits of sustainable energy policies. This wave of change has finally reached the nation's capital. The country is headed in a new direction, and Hopkins has the opportunity to be at the forefront of this wave of change
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