“While we
acknowledge the work Chairman Dingell and Chairman Boucher have put
into this draft legislation, we would be remiss not to point out
that it still falls far short of what is needed to avoid
catastrophic global warming.”
“Faced with a
four-fold increase in the rate of carbon dioxide pollution since
2000 and emerging evidence of methane emissions from the melting
arctic that may accelerate global warming we simply don’t have time
anymore for the half-measures and loopholes that riddle this
bill.”
The draft
legislation contains numerous shortcomings that would prevent the
United States from doing its part to stop global warming:
First, the
emission targets set by the plan fall short of what is needed to
confront the problem. It calls for 6 percent emissions reductions
below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050
when science says we must reduce domestic emissions at least 25
percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 80 percent below
1990 levels by 2050.
Second, the
legislation perpetuates the use of the dirtiest energy source by
avoiding immediate restrictions on coal pollution and commits the
country to unproven, unsafe, and wildly expensive carbon capture
and sequestration technology.
“This country has
more than 600 coal-fired power plants, with an additional 100
plants proposed for development. The Department of Energy projects
that no more than 20 CCS-equipped plants could be online by 2020.
That CCS is a dead end for real climate solutions is a matter of
simple mathematics.”
Third, the plan
would likely allocate revenue to some of the country’s biggest
polluters instead of helping working families who need the money to
offset increased costs associated with the proposed legislation in
the early years of the rules.
Fourth, the
legislation would be full of loopholes, allowing polluters to cheat
by buying their way out of compliance with domestic and
international offsets.
Finally, the plan
wouldn’t allow states and regions to take leadership on
cap-and-trade programs with more stringent targets if they choose
to take even stronger action than the federal government.
“Solving the
global warming crisis demands that we come to terms with the
full-scale of the problem and the full-scale of the solution
required. Last Friday, 152 members of Congress showed that
full-scale solutions are not only possible, but also politically
feasible. The chairs could learn a lot from their colleagues.”
Other contacts: Mike Crocker, Greenpeace USA, 202-215-8989; Carroll Muffett, Greenpeace USA Deputy Campaigns Director, 202-425-2934
