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U.S. Presidential
Candidates' Views on Climate Change
Barack Obama
Obama says the United States is responsible
for leaving the planet in better shape for future generations. His plan
would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implement a market-based
cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, set
a national standard for low-carbon fuels and increase fuel efficiency
standards, reduce gasoline consumption through expanded use of renewable
energy sources and invest in advanced technologies for clean energy
projects. He would create a Technology Transfer program within the U.S.
Department of Energy dedicated to exporting climate-friendly technologies
to developing countries. He would also develop incentives to reward
farmers and ranchers when they plant trees and restore grasslands.
Hillary Clinton
Clinton says global climate change is a
pressing moral issue of our time and supports policies to reduce carbon
dioxide and other emissions that contribute to global warming. She would
develop a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire
in 2012. She proposes to invest in clean energy technologies, establish a
national market-based program to reduce pollution that causes global
warming, increase fuel efficiency, and strengthen U.S. leadership in
addressing climate change. She would also focus the mission of the U.S.
Department of Energy on moving toward energy independence with a new
approach to renewable energy sources.
John McCain
McCain would limit carbon dioxide emissions
by harnessing market forces to bring advanced technologies like nuclear
energy to market faster, reduce dependence on foreign energy supplies and
ensure that all nations contribute to the climate change solution. He was
lead author of a U.S. Senate proposal to reduce carbon emissions by 65
percent by 2050 and believes climate change is a national security issue.
Mike Huckabee
When asked during a 2007 Republican Party
primary debate if he believed global warming existed, Huckabee said that
whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to
be left to the scientists, but it is our responsibility to leave this
planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it.
Huckabee proposes to explore, conserve and develop all forms of
alternative energy to achieve U.S. energy independence. He would set a
federal research and development budget that the private sector would
match to seek the best, new, alternative fuel products.
Courtesy: SPAN Magazine |
