Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), who addressed climate change issues along with Sen. John Kerry (D-NH) last week at a Brookings Institute forum, introduced legislation on climate change via three bills dealing with initiatives on the international, domestic and tax incentive level.
The “Climate Change Comprehensive Legislative Reform Act of 2005” (S. 386,387,388) is co-sponsored by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Larry Craig (R-ID), and Elizabeth Dole (R-NC).
The three bills promote technologies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity and provide monetary incentives for pursuing and utilizing technologies that minimize GHG intensity in both developing countries and in the United States.
Speaking on the Senate floor this week Senator Hagel said “This legislation builds upon three principles: the need for shared responsibilities between developed and developing countries; the linkages between environmental, economic, and energy policies; and the employment of greenhouse gas intensity as the best measurement upon which to build an effective climate policy….I believe that greenhouse gas intensity, or the amount of carbon emitted relative to economic output, is the best measurement for dealing with climate change,” Senator Hagel said. The legislation is based on incentives and economic growth, and does not include mandatory caps on carbon emissions. It is expected to cost $4 billion over 5 years.
In related news, Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT) and Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) legislation on February 17, with ten cosponsors in the Senate (S. 427) and six in the House (H.R. 983). The legislation would require that 20 percent of U.S. electricity be derived from clean, domestically produced renewable energy including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and wave energy by the year 2020.
Sen. Jeffords offered five reasons in support of the legislation, including reduced electricity prices, public health and environmental benefits, enhanced national security, and building on successful State efforts, and said, “The second reason for a national commitment to encourage renewable power is the public health and environmental benefits. Electricity generation is the leading source of U.S. carbon emissions, accounting for over 40 percent of the total.
Carbon dioxide emissions are the primary greenhouse gas, contributing to harmful climate change. A 20 percent renewables requirement would, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, reduce carbon emissions from power plants by up to 18 percent by the year 2020.”
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