Feds Must Deliver on Climate Change Legislation

Steven F. Greenwald and Jeffrey P. Gray

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For several years there has been widespread doubt about Washington’s ability to move forward with a national program to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At various times during the Bush administration, it appeared that legislation might be possible, but it always collapsed under the weight of partisan politics and competing special interests.

During this period, states that were either unwilling to wait for Congress to act or lacking confidence that Congress and the Bush administration could achieve the necessary consensus, began to take matters into their own hands. In 2003, nine Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states began work on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — the first mandatory cap-and-trade program for CO ₂ emissions. On the west coast, California passed AB 32, requiring the state to reduce GHG levels to 1990 levels by 2020. The state also helped form the Western Climate Initiative to address climate change issues on a regional basis. Today, more states are considering or already moving forward with their own climate change initiatives.

Against this backdrop, the election of President Obama raised hopes that a comprehensive national policy addressing climate change might become a reality. In June, this optimism increased as the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), a comprehensive national approach to reducing GHG emissions. The House’s passage of ACES evidences the growing, momentum behind federal action.