Top 10 Climate Actions for the Next President

This list is derived from the recommendations contained in the Presidential Climate Action Plan, released just yesterday. The 200-page report, designed to be a roadmap for climate policy during the first 100 days of the next president's term, recommends scores of policies, and illuminates how the next President can be the game-changer -- and life-saver -- on climate policy. Here's our extraction of the top 10 actions.

1. End federal subsidies for mature energy industries -- coal, oil, gas and nuclear.

Federal subsidies for energy alone totaled nearly $64 billion in 2003, mostly supporting the fossil and nuclear energy industries. The Congressional Budget Office reports that energy subsidies are growing by $2-$3 billion each year under the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

2. Support small business, rather than big business, to be the engine that transforms the energy economy

America's small businesses employ almost 60 million people -- half the private work-force -- pay more than 45% of total US private payroll and have generated 60% to 80% of net new jobs over the last decade.

3. Restore the role of science in federal policy

The President should issue an executive order that emphasizes the critical role that science will play in informing and directing federal policy on climate, earth sciences, natural resource stewardship, energy and other critical policy areas. The order should prohibit Administration officials from undue interference, including editing and censorship of technical documents and reports, in federal scientific inquiry. This order should rescind Executive Order 13422, which established a process of political oversight of federal science.

4. Establish a national goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, based on what current science recommends: 30% by 2020, 80-90% by 2050.

From 2011 to 2020, greenhouse gas emission reductions in the United States should average 3% annually, compared with 2010 levels.6 This would reduce national greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2020. Those reductions should be achieved by harvesting the economy’s low-hanging fruit – large gains in energy efficiency and the deployment of currently available low-emission energy supply technologies.

From 2021 to 2050, the United States should reduce emissions an average of 2% annually, taking advantage of improved technologies. Emission reductions would total 50% by 2030 and 90% below 2010 levels by mid-century.

5. Use the Clean Air Act and the authority of the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases -- upheld by the Supreme Court -- to produce early results

To ensure near-term emission reductions and to provide a safety net for the atmosphere, the President should order the EPA to expedite its determination that all greenhouse gas emissions meet the criteria for regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Using the familiar process now in place for other regulated air pollutants, EPA would require states to develop creditable State Implementation Plans (SIPs) that how how they will achieve required emission reductions.

6. Place an upstream cap on greenhouse gases and auction the carbon credits

The President should advocate that the 111th Congress approve an “upstream” cap-and-auction system that regulates the points at which fossil fuels enter the economy – the refinery gate in the case of petroleum, the first distribution point for natural gas, at the mine shipping terminus in the case of coal and at the port in the case of imports. By regulating only 1,500-2,000 upstream entities, this approach reduces administrative complexity, minimizes opportunities to cheat the system and helps ensure that greenhouse gas pricing is economy-wide.

In the event that Congress fails to pass a cap-and-auction regime, or to act on the issue in a timely manner, the President should direct the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a cap-and-auction regime.

Auction revenues should be distributed to consumers in tax reductions and dividends to every American, and to states to assist individuals, families, businesses and communities most adversely affected by higher energy prices.

7. Recalibrate national energy policy to improve energy efficiency, produce renewable energy and new jobs, and enhance energy security

By 2020: Generate 20%-30% of the nation’s electricity from renewable resources; require the energy efficiency of passenger vehicles and light trucks reach 50 miles per gallon; reduce petroleum consumption by 50% to offset imports from the Persian Gulf and OPEC.

By 2030: Hold electric consumption to 2007 levels through energy efficiency improvements in buildings and industry will; supply 40% of electric demand from renewable energy technologies and create 40 million new jobs in the sector; achieve net-zero energy consumption on all new and substantially remodeled residential and commercial buildings.

By 2050: Supply at least 50% of the nation’s electricity from renewable resources.

8. Permit construction of new electric generation plants if and only if they emit no greenhouse gases or are able to permanently store them.

[In other words, no more new dirty coal plants.]

9. Determine the true cost of energy alternatives using "full-cost accounting"

Net-energy, net-greenhouse gas, net-environmental and net-economic impacts should be considered in federal cost-benefit analysis.....For example, defending oil shipments through the Persian Gulf costs between $4 and $10 per barrel of oil. Filling and maintaining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve costs about 1 billion annually. Environmental damages and public health problems from fossil-fuels cost from 1 cent to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Treating asthma in children younger than 18 years old in the United States costs an estimated $3.2 billion annually....

10. Abolish the Department of Energy

[With the end of federal subsidies to mature energy industries -- see #1 above -- the majority of current first-tier DOE functions disappears.] The President should direct the Office of Personnel Management to devise a plan for reorganization, including how existing functions and staff will be redistributed or terminated, and submit the plan for approval by Congress.

For example, the nonproliferation activities of the Office of Fossil Energy and the functions of the Offices of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management; Environmental Management; Health, Safety and Security; and Legacy Management could be consolidated into an independent National Nuclear Security Administration. The Energy Information Administration would be transferred to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

• ‹ previous
• up
• next ›