It’s Getting Hot In Here

Cross-posted from:  What’s with the Climate?

The Environmental Defense Fund in collaboration with IETA and the Pew Charitable Trusts hosted an event today at the 14th Conference of giving an “update on Federal Affairs.”  Those present included representatives from several high-level committees within the US Congress including Sarah Levinson from the office of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Alexandra Teitz from the office of Congressman Henry Waxman, Peter Rafle-Senagte from Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, Jo-Ellen Darcy, representing the Senate Finance Committee, Jonathan Black representing the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee and Chris Adamo representing Michigan Senator Stabenow.  Though all signs point to hope of the US mobilizing in a positive direction (how could they not?), there is a sense that there will be a lot on the new administration’s plate as far as financing of projects is concerned.  The question then is, will the bold ambitions of the Obama Administration live up to their promises as the US debt and financing for massive projects like Healthcare also hang in the balance?  Or will the climate agenda finally, get the priority? 

Sarah Levinson assured the audience that Speaker Pelosi’s “flagship” missions was climate change and sited that she had been a major proponent of legislation HR6, which focuses on fuel efficiency and she has done her part to reach out to world leaders in discussiong the climate agenda.  Aside from that there was general agreement amongst her staff that President-elect Barak Obama is going to make it easier for the democratic majority in Congress to pass legislation.  This is the time for “creating a new economy based on green jobs” stated Levinson.

Teitz, representative of Congressman Waxman stated that the latter had experience in the first Air Pollution Control Act in the nation and was a major proponent of the mobilization of support around the time of the 3rd Conference of Parties–all good indicators as Congressman Waxman will soon be chairing the Commerce Committee.  Currently, the Safe Climate Bill, which has been reintroduced into Congress in 2007 has over 150 supporters (the most of any climate bill proposed yet) which aims to see 80% reduction in Green House Gases (GHG) by 2050 with a 1990 baseline.  A comment of note from Congressman Waxman, “we must assist communities and biodiversity that would face harm due to global warming.“

Jo-Ellen Darcy, a representative of the Senate Finance Committee, stated that the cap-and-trade finance mechanism is something that the finance committee will be looking closely at and that this will need to be balanced by the urgent need to restructure the US Health care package.   “
I don’t think we can wait anymore, we’ve been doing this (negotiating climate change) a lot and its time to do it!” She said as she finished off by agreeing by the all-Democrat panel that “President Obama is a good thing for all of us.”

Jonathan Black stated that things like transmission of electricity, energy efficiency standards, Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), and the required percentage of electricity derived from renewables are things that the Energy & Natural Resources Committee will be looking at quite closely for finalizing targets.  He made mention of the “Low Carbon Economy Act” but acknowledged that it did not have that much support from the environmental community in the US.

Chris Adamo, representing Michigan Senator Stabenow compared Michigan as the microcosm of all of the US now with the economy in recession and agreed that any new deal would have to be structured firmly around injecting life into the economy.  That being said, he noted that gaining support from some Democratic Mid-Western states (who will have their own interests to protect) will be difficult but key to getting any sort of cap-and-trade legislation passed.

As the session was opened up to the audience for question & answer, issues of the process of implemantation, financing, and engaging movments were raised.  Amongst the panelists, no one was 100% sure that cap-and-trade legislation was a done deal for fear of having to retract that statement later if it should not pass, and for lack of authority to speak on behalf of whom they were representing.  But they did agree that it will be a challenge as over $100 billion a year will need to be spent on healthcare as currently planned, and the US debt is also heavy.  Overall, it was agreed upon that fruitful negotiations at Copenhagen did not have to hinge upon firm committment from the US government, rather could be based on positive signs from the US Congress which will take its time to mobilize leading up to and beyond Copenhagen.  With the world hanging in a balance, lets hope that the Congress mobilizes fast.