Putting a price on carbon
Today the Senate starts debating the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which aims to reduce carbon emissions almost 70 percent by 2050. But how much is this going to cost Americans? Sarah Gardner reports.
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TEXT OF STORY
Scott Jagow: Today, the Senate starts debating what could be a groundbreaking bill. It's called the "Lieberman-Warner" Climate Security Act. The thrust of it is a cap and trade program. It aims to reduce carbon emissions almost 70 percent by 2050. But this debate is likely to be very heated over one question: How much is this going to cost Americans? Sarah Gardner has this report from the Marketplace Sustainability Desk.
Political ad: Congress is at it again. This time, they're pushing massive new taxes and regulations in the name of global warming. . .
Sarah Gardner: Opponents of the Climate Security Act have been fighting the bill with numbers. That ad from the Club for Growth warns of a 133 percent increase in electricity prices and over 14,000 job losses a year.
But supporters are armed with numbers as well. They point to studies predicting billions of dollars in damages from hurricanes and floods if the U.S. doesn't take steps to stop global warming.
John Larsen at the World Resources Institute says no one can clearly predict the costs of the legislation.
John Larsen: However, we can say that putting a price on carbon is going to make the United States economy cleaner and greener, but it will also influence what people pay at the pump and what they pay for electricity.
Larsen expects senators to proposed hundreds of amendments to the bill, including one that would benefit the nuclear power industry. Debate could go on for a week or more, but even supporters of the climate bill admit passage is an uphill battle.
I'm Sarah Gardner for Marketplace.
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From new paltz, NY, 06/02/2008
Motorists are against the wall with Fuel Pricing.
We need another Economist espousing further Taxation on consumer Fuel - be it a 'valid' Carbon Tax - like they need a Fresh .44 Cal.Hole in their Heads.
Those Days of Inflicting More Pain on Motorists are Gone.
Right Now - NEC / Nissan are to produce Lithium Ion Batteries for Hybrid / Electric Nissan cars to be shipped in 3 years - to the USA.
We need a Government Purchase Plan aimed to those who Purchase Hybrid Electric Vehicles.
GM has Hybrid 3 cyl. Ethanol Electrics with onboard Generators - right now.
Cars with Onboard Generation / Hybrid Electrics are 'Where it's At' .
GM has the VOLT - all Electric - right now.
E-85 should be found at every Gas Pump in America - we need Laws to force the Big Oil Owners to provide them.
E-85 $1.90 Tariffs should be dropped.
Ethanol should be imported and sold as cheaply as possible.
America is going directly to Rechargable onboard Generator - Electric Gas / Ethanol / Diesel Hybrids first - then to Fuel Cell Electrics eventually.
We need a Government Finance Plan to get these New Technology Vehicles into the hands of every American Driver at every Economic Level - Right Now.
There IS no other Answer.
From Miami, FL, 06/02/2008
Hey, do like me! I surf with www.treehoo.com the web that plants trees for most of its profit to save our planet. It's so easy to fight global warming and climate change for free! Can any other webportal beat that?
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