U.S. Responsibility in Copenhagen: Domestic Legislation First

Background

From December 7 to 18, 2009, the 15th Conference of the Parties [COP-15] of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC] will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark. 192 countries, including the United States, will participate in this event to reach a consensus on international climate change. As a world power and the largest emitter of carbon per capita, the United States has a responsibility to protect the environment and other natural resources around the world. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the United States needs to demonstrate that it is willing to decrease its addiction to fossil fuels so that the international community will look to and respect the U.S. as a leader.

The U.S. should pass positive domestic legislation prior to the Copenhagen Conference in order to give legitimacy to any sort of proposal it may make during the Copenhagen Conference. If the U.S. does not give more priority to climate change legislation domestically, it will not be able to accept and follow the decisions made in Copenhagen. Although the U.S. has not yet established any binding caps for greenhouse gas emissions, a number of legislative measures are underway to demonstrate that the U.S. is reforming its views on climate change.

Current Legislation

• Introduced on January 7, 2009, House Resolution 232, also known as the Greenhouse Gas Registry Act, proposes the establishment of a Federal greenhouse gas registry that is complete, consistent, transparent, and national in scope. The registry would collect data for both public and private entities to use in order to design efficient and effective energy initiatives and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This data would also be used for a mandatory emissions reduction program involving multiple sectors. Data reports would be released at least once a year and would also be available for public access on the internet, unless they include confidential business information or threaten national security interests. This bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but has not yet been voted on.

• House Resolution 2454, the Waxman-Markey Bill aka. The American Clean Energy and Security Act, was passed through the Energy and Commerce Committee on May 21, 2009. It seeks to reduce global warming pollution, create more clean energy jobs, and transition to a clean energy economy. Its programs include $190 billion investment in clean energy, renewable standards, and cap-and-trade provisions. Its implementation would reduce U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases to 4% below 1990 levels by 2020, although the scientific community has warned that a higher commitment- 40% below 1990 levels by 2020- is necessary to address climate change. The bill was passed on Congress, and is awaiting a Senate vote. The bill has been weakened on the path to gain support, but still represents a significant step. House Resolution 2828, the American Energy Innovation Act, is the alternative floated by the GOP in response to H.R. 2454.  However, it is not as strong as H.R. 2454 in securing environmentally sustainable methods of growth. Certain provisions in particular provide cause for grave concern. For instance, the bill seeks to remove the restrictions against drilling in protected areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, the U.S. nuclear power program is drastically expanded as an alternative to placing mandatory limits on carbon emissions.

• House Resolution 2192, or the Climate Change Safeguards for Natural Resources Conservation Act, was introduced on April 30, 2009 to establish an integrated Federal program that would protect the United States' natural resources against the threats of climate change and ocean acidification. This bill also proposes the establishment of a Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Panel, consisting of such members as the heads of the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. This panel would be responsible for developing a nationwide strategy for Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation and outlining specific steps to be taken by the Federal government in pursuit of this goal. This strategy would be devised in concert with local governments and renewed and revised every five years to incorporate the latest information and available technologies. This bill has not yet been voted on, but has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee, House Agriculture Committee, and House Science and Technology Committee, as well as the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.

• On May 19, 2009, President Obama announced a new program in which the minimum car mileage would be raised from 25 mpg to 35 mpg on average for the upcoming 2012 through throught 2016 year models - four years earlier than the Bush administration's energy bill of 2007 had indicated. Obama has also proposed that tailpipe pollution controls be included in this program, which would take the stricter standards of California and 13 other states to a nationwide level. This would be the first time that emissions and fuel standards have been linked in a single governmental regulation. These higher standards will not only reduce carbon emissions, but also save drivers an estimated $2,800 in gas costs per year. This program must first go through procedural hurdles at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation before being adopted.

Legislative measures such as these are important for the United States to become more legitimate abroad. Once it is clear that the U.S. is willing to change domestically, it will have greater authority in Copenhagen and be more likely to adopt whatever measures are agreed upon.

Green Energy in the Works

The U.S. has allocated $80 billion to be invested in green stimulus measures, including $3.2 billion in grant funding for local energy efficiency improvements. In addition, the federal government has decided to place more pressure on corporations such as the auto industry. Obama had initially planned to maintain a cap-and-trade system based on the auction of permits, estimated to raise $80 billion a year, of which $15 billion would go towards subsidizing renewable energy, and the balance of which would be allocated as tax credit for everyone except the richest 5% of Americans. This would compensate for much of the increased energy bills. However, H.R. 2454, the Waxman-Markey Bill, givs about 85% of the pollution credits for free. This impedes the budget's ability to subsidize clean energy. Obama declared a goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and we hope that members of Congress will support his vision and not be weighed down by lobby groups and special interests.

These goals and measures are non-partisan: they are in the economic, environmental, and foreign policy interests of all. Taking steps to raise emission standards and protect our natural resources will lead to policy that is responsible and sustainable. Also, decreasing our usage of gas and oil will make us less dependent on foreign resources and help to stimulate the domestic economy. Furthermore, legislation concerning climate change in the United States is crucial for the upcoming Copenhagen talks this year. However, without a legitimate domestic stand-point to speak from, the U.S. will not possess the standing it needs to effectively negotiate in December and put the decisions of Copenhagen into practice.