Hello all,
I figured it would be nice to have Gore's 10 point plan laid out here and compare it Clinton, Obama and Edwards' ideas. Hope you enjoy.
Gore's 10 point plan
1.) Immediately freeze carbon at the existing level; then implement programs to reduce it 90% by 2050.
2.) Reduce taxes on employment and production, instead taxing pollution (especially CO2). These pollution taxes would raise the same amount of money, but make us more competitive by encouraging employment while discouraging pollution.
3.) A portion of the revenues must be earmarked for low-income and middle class people who will have a difficult time making this transition.
4.) Negotiate a strong global treaty to replace Kyoto, while working toward de facto compliance with Kyoto. Move the start date of this new treaty forward from 2012 to 2010, so the next president can to act immediately, rather than waste time trying to pass Kyoto right before it expires. We have to try to get China and India to participate in the treaty. If they don’t immediately participate, we have to move forward with the treaty regardless, trusting that they will join sooner rather than later.
5.) Impose a moratorium on construction of any new coal-fired power plant not compatible with carbon capture and sequestration.
6.) Develop an "electranet" -- a smart grid that allows individual homeowners and small businesses to create green power and sell their excess power to the utility companies at a fair price. Just as widely distributed information processing led to a large new surge of productivity, we need a law that allows widely distributed energy generation to be sold into the grid, at a rate determined not by a the utility companies, but by regulation. The goal is to create a grid that does not require huge, centralized power plants.
7.) Raise CAFE standards for cars and trucks as part of a comprehensive package. Cars and trucks are a large part of the problem, but coal and buildings must be addressed at the same time.
8.) Set a date for the ban of incandescent light bulbs that gives industry time to create alternatives. If the date is set, industry will meet this challenge.
9.) Create Connie Mae, a carbon-neutral mortgage association. Connie Mae will defer the costs of things like insulation and energy efficient windows which cut carbon but are often not used by builders or renovators because they add to the upfront costs of homes, only paying for themselves after several years of energy savings.
10.) The SEC should require disclosure of carbon emissions in corporate reporting
Ok so using Gore's as the standard on what needs to be done for the environment I give you the other plans and info listed on the sites of Clinton, Edwards and Obama.
Here is the rough outline of the Edwards plan from his site. I won't post all the detail as it is very comprehensive:
Capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system, and reducing it by 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, as the latest science says is needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
Leading the world to a new climate treaty that commits other countries—including developing nations—to reduce their pollution. Edwards will insist that developing countries join us in this effort, offering to share new clean energy technology and, if necessary, using trade agreements to require binding greenhouse reductions.
Creating a New Energy Economy Fund by auctioning off $10 billion in greenhouse pollution permits and repealing subsidies for big oil companies. The fund will support U.S. research and development in energy technology, help entrepreneurs start new businesses, invest in new carbon-capture and efficient automobile technology and help Americans conserve energy.
Produce 65 Billion Gallons of Ethanol a Year by 2025: However, although millions of ethanol-ready cars are on the roads, only about 600 of the 169,000 gas stations have pumps for E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline. Edwards will require oil companies to install ethanol pumps at 25 percent of their gas stations and require all new cars sold after 2010 to be "flex fuel" cars running on either gasoline or biofuel. The New Economy Energy Fund will develop new methods of producing and using ethanol, including cellulosic ethanol, and offer loan guarantees to new refineries. [RAND, 2006; DOE, 2005; USDA, 2005]
Raise Fuel Economy Standards: American cars and trucks are less efficient than they were two decades ago, despite the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Standards in China, Japan, and the European Union are between 40 and 100 percent higher. Edwards will raise standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2016, a step that could single-handedly reduce oil demand by 4 million barrels per day. [Pew Center on Global Climate Change, 2004; Reicher, 2007]
Open the Electricity Grids to Distributed and Renewable Generation: Traditionally, electricity has been produced at large, central power plants and transmitted through miles of power lines. Distributed generation of electricity promises reliable, clean, cost-effective production that is less vulnerable to natural disasters and attacks. Farms, factories, schools, and communities ought to be able to establish their own power sources and compete with traditional plants to sell wholesale capacity, as New England has pioneered. [DOE, 2000; New England ISO, 2006]
To open up the grid to innovation, Edwards will:
Create Millions of Local Sources of Renewable Energy: Edwards will provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for homes and small businesses that invest in onsite generation of renewable energy like solar, wind, and geothermal power. He will also encourage local generation of renewable energy through "net metering," which allows families to sell extra power back to utilities for credits against their electricity bills.
Encourage Distributed Generation: Edwards will cut the red tape that hinders new energy producers from selling their power to the grid. He will require utilities to consider distributed generation as a means of lowering costs compared to new investments in centralized production and transmission.
Research the Next Generation of Small Scale Renewable Energy: Edwards will invest in researching more profitable sources of renewable energy generation. For example, biomass engines producing both heat and power that can be three times more efficient than traditional distribution. [Hill, 2001]
OK YUCK ON ETHANOL, I know I know. Edwards is also pushing Smartmeters, investing in green collar jobs as I posted in an earlier diary and wants to make DC carbon neutral as well as more energy efficient. Edwards has also stated that we should not build anymore coal plants but start building renewable energy plants instead. Notice that Edwards' Green Collar Jobs initiative address the transition issue that Gore raises for the middle and lower classes. By investing in educating about renewable jobs, investing in new companies with new technologies Edwards will be providing jobs for those middle and lower class people that will be affected.
Provide Green Collar Jobs Training Grants that will help train and certify up to 150,000 workers a year for jobs in the new energy economy - meeting the needs of industry and Americans seeking better jobs and opportunity, as well as our environment.
Create 50,000 stepping-stone jobs in the new energy economy. As part of his plan to end poverty in America, Edwards called for the creation of government-subsidized stepping stone jobs that give people with barriers to employment a chance to learn new skills and work their way up. Edwards would dedicate 50,000 of these jobs to companies involved in the new energy economy.
Use grant funding to encourage partnerships between states, businesses, labor unions, community groups and educators to train these workers – so that workers actually get the skills and training that businesses need.
Provide grant funding to community colleges to partner with companies involved in the new energy economy to develop job training programs specifically tailored to meet needs of this growing industry.
Ensure that high school students are prepared for jobs in the new energy economy. Edwards would create Green Career Academies -- small learning communities within high schools that use a college preparatory curriculum with a career theme and engage employers, unions, and local colleges to participate.
So now onto Obama:
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Our Fuels
Barack Obama's plan will reduce carbon in our fuel supply by establishing a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The standard would require that all transportation fuels sold in the U.S.contain 5 percent less carbon by 2015 and 10 percent less carbon by 2020. The legislation would let market forces decide the most efficient way to reduce emissions and would spur significant investment in renewable fuels, such as corn and cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel made from plant oils such as soybeans. According to one estimate, Obama's legislation would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 180 million metric tons in 2020. This is the equivalent of taking over 30 million cars off the road in 2020.
Breaking the Fuel Efficiency Logjam
Senator Obama led a bipartisan effort to raise CAFE fuel economy standards, which have remained frozen for 20 years because of congressional gridlock. He developed an innovative approach to gradually increase CAFE standards while protecting the financial future of American automakers. The resulting Obama-Lugar-Biden bill would establish concrete targets for annual CAFE increases while giving industry the flexibility to meet those targets. The Obama-Lugar-Biden Fuel Economy Reform Act has gained the support of Senators who had never supported CAFE increases before, and the basic concept of the legislation was endorsed by President Bush in his 2007 State of the Union address.
Making a Deal With Detroit: Health for Hybrids
Senator Obama introduced legislation encouraging automakers to make fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles by helping the companies shoulder the health care costs of their retirees. Domestic automakers would get health care assistance in exchange for their investing 50 percent of the savings into technology to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Expanding the Use of E85 and Other Renewable Fuels
While there are more than 180,000 gas stations all over America, there are only about 1200 that offer E85 -- a blend of 85 percent clean-burning, domestically grown ethanol and 15 percent petroleum gasoline. Gas stations will now be eligible for tax credits for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps, thanks to a law advocated by Barack Obama and Senator Jim Talent (R-MO). The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85. Obama's legislation will help create the infrastructure to support more flexible-fuel vehicles (cars that run on both E85 and regular gasoline). Senator Obama also sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.
Senator Obama introduced legislation with Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) to require 2 billion gallons of alternative diesels, such as biodiesel, to be produced domestically by 2015. Obama also sponsored legislation requiring oil companies, that made at least $1 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2006 to invest at least 1 percent of the their total reported first quarter 2006 profits into installing E85 pumps.
Senator Obama worked with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) to introduce the American Fuels Act that would increase the domestic production, distribution, and use of biofuels, including expanded manufacture of flexible fuel vehicles, tax credits for biofuels, and a nationwide distribution infrastructure.
Senator Obama and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), launched a Government Accountability Office investigation of large oil companies to see if they are fighting the installation of alternative fuel pumps. That investigation will be completed in April 2007.
Obama is an original cosponsor of legislation to establish limits on greenhouse gas emissions. To remain below these limits, the bill encourages the market to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gases, rewarding cost-effective approaches through a system of tradeable allowances. Revenues generated from this program will be directed to helping industries and individuals most affected by the limits, and also to fund research and development of new, more efficient, energy technologies.
Now I am using his site which on the issues page does not talk about the CTL bill but all of here are aware of it. Other than that, pretty sparse details or plans on the global warming issue. I applaud him for the bills he has introduced but I want to know what he would do about this issue once elected.
and now for Clinton:
.Hillary has championed policies that encourage development of alternative energy technologies and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. She has proposed an Apollo Project-like program dedicated to achieving energy independence.
Hillary recognizes that global climate change is one of the most pressing moral issues of our time. She supports policies to reduce carbon emissions and other pollution that contribute to global warming.
In the White House, Hillary will lead the charge to stop global warming by investing in clean energy technologies, establishing a national market-based program to reduce global warming pollution, increasing our fuel efficiency, and restoring the United States' rightful place as a leader in international efforts to address the problem of climate change
Hillary introduced a plan to Congress to create a Strategic Energy Fund that would inject $50 billion into research, development, and deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technology, ethanol and other homegrown biofuels, and more.
We can create the fund without raising taxes by giving oil companies a choice: invest in renewable energy themselves or pay into the fund. She would also eliminate oil companies' tax breaks and make sure they pay their fair share for drilling on public lands.
Well here we have broad outlines. I like here strategic fund and Apollo project and she does mention all the things Gore wants but has no real dates or timeframes on when she will accomplish this. So although she is saying the right things I do not get a sense of urgency from her about the fact that this needs to be done now.
I would like to see what Kossacks think about the various policies presented. Obviously I like Edwards ideas the best, not that the others are presenting or supporting bad ideas or bills. It's just that to me Edwards is looking at this problem from all possible angles. He talks about the jobs, the economy, the grid, all of things that climate change effects. He is also the only one pushing the fact that renewable energy can be profitable, can provide jobs and in doing so heads off one of the main complaints about renewables. That it is unprofitable, will cause people to lose jobs and will not help the economy.
At any rate. I hope you enjoyed this version of compare and contrast.
__________________________
