http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/36347
From: Thomas Schueneman, Global Warming is Real, More from this Affiliate
Published May 15, 2008 09:28 AM
The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Actpassed the U.S Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last December by a vote of 11---8. (A quick fact sheet on the bill is available here in pdf)
In the coming weeks the legislation will come to a full vote on the floor of the Senate. The bill calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 71% below 2005 levels by 2050 — phased in at 4% by 2012 and 19% by 2020.
The EPA's own analysis states that, despite many opponent's claims of economic ruin, the bill "would not significantly harm the U.S. economy over the next 20 years". (The full EPA analysis — 193 pages — is available in pdf)
The typical right-wing economic alarmism aside, there are serious concerns about the bill from environmental groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. Sean Casten gives a good summary of the objections in a post at Grist but the upshot is that many feel the bill doesn't mandate the kind of emissions reduction scientists say is needed to avoid the worst ofglobalwarming (80% below 1990 levels by 2050), is too cumbersome in its implementation, and rewards corporate polluters, in part by directing auction revenues mandated the bill to fossil fuel and automotive industries. (Friends of the Earth has an analysis of these "giveaways" here in, you guessed it, pdf)
However, not everyonethinks it's so bad. The Natural Resources Defense Council calls for a "strengthened" bill but urges that the time is now for decisive legislative action on climatechange. (Ready for another pdf? Here's a guide from the NRDC outlining what they suggest is needed in any effective climate change legislation and a comparison of the various bills before the 110th Congress)
