The previous administration took the ridiculously ineffective position that the U.S. wouldn’t take steps to combat climate change unless China and India do too and vice versa. As U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman noted at a UCLA Climate Change forum on “Creating Security and Prosperity for the 21st Century”, this argument was not even at “college level”, it was at “grammar school level”.
According to Waxman, the House passed the Waxman-Markey law – the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (HR 2454 known as ACES) — so that the U.S. can develop new jobs, figure out how to use coal in an environmentally-friendly way and develop technologies that will be marketable around the world. It was passed for our energy independence, jobs and economy.
Waxman also said it is designed “to show leadership and impress on them (China and India) that we’re doing our part and they need to work together with us because they take on the risk of this climate change issue as much as we and others on the planet.” At last, we have an administration and at least a portion of Congress that strives to lead by example.
Other good news on this front is that ACES would allow states like ours to enact more stringent standards and thus wouldn’t gut California’s climate change bill, AB32.
Other speakers included:
• Steven Schneider, PhD, on the science of climate change
• Retired Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn on the military’s reports regarding the threats to national security presented by climate change and energy policy
• Robert Epstein, PhD, of Environmental Entrepreneurs on the economic costs and benefits of climate policy
• UCLA Law Prof. Ann E. Carlson on a comparison of California’s AB32 and U.S. HR2454 and
• Anthony Eggert, Sr. Advisor to the Chair of the California Air Resources Board, on various issues related to AB32 and CARB’s Scoping Plan.
A summary and video of the program is available at UCLA’s newsroom.
PS – My apologies for the delay in reporting on this event. I’m old-school regarding vacations. I take them to clear my head, which means disconnecting during my time off.
8.31.09
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