Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Obama’s Climate Plan: A Historic Turning Point or Too Reliant on Oil, Coal, Natural Gas?

by Democracy Now.org: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/6/26/obamas_climate_plan_a_historic_turning

President Obama has unveiled a climate plan that imposes the first limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants.

The move will not require congressional approval, meaning Obama can bypass expected Republican-led opposition.

In his address, Obama also outlined a broad range of measures to protect coastlines and cities from rising sea levels, and vowed to promote the development of renewable energy.

In a development that has led both opponents and supporters of the Keystone XL oil pipeline to express optimism for their side, Obama said approval of the project will be contingent upon assuring it "does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution."

Just how successful Obama will be in carrying out his sweeping plan to address climate change - and whether it goes far enough - is a matter of debate.

We assess his speech with two guests holding differing views: Dan Lashof of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen.

Transcript

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

NERMEEN SHAIKH: We turn now to President Obama’s major address on global warming on Tuesday. Obama confirmed he’ll impose the first limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants. The move won’t require congressional approval, meaning Obama can bypass expected Republican-led opposition.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Today, about 40 percent of America’s carbon pollution comes from our power plants. But here’s the thing. Right now, there are no federal limits to the amount of carbon pollution that those plants can pump into our air. None. Zero. We limit the amount of toxic chemicals like mercury and sulfur, and arsenic in our air or our water, but power plants can still dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the air for free. That’s not right, that’s not safe, and it needs to stop.
So, today, for the sake of our children and the health and safety of all Americans, I’m directing the Environmental Protection Agency to put an end to the limitless dumping of carbon pollution from our power plants and complete new pollution standards for both new and existing power plants. I’m also directing the EPA to develop these standards in an open and transparent way, to provide flexibility to different states with different needs and build on the leadership that many states and cities and companies have already shown.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: In his climate chane address, Obama also outlined a broad range of measures to protect coastlines and cities from rising sea levels and to encourage efforts to reach a global climate deal. He also said he would promote the development of renewable energy.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: So, the plan I’m announcing today will help us double again our energy from wind and sun. Today I’m directing the Interior Department to greenlight enough private renewable energy capacity on public lands to power more than six million homes by 2020. The Department of Defense, the biggest energy consumer in America, will install three gigawatts of renewable power on its bases, generating about the same amount of electricity each year as you’d get from burning three million tons of coal. And because billions of your tax dollars continue to still subsidize some of the most profitable corporations in the history of the world, my budget once again calls for Congress to end the tax breaks for big oil companies and invest in the clean energy companies that will fuel our future.
AMY GOODMAN: On Tuesday, President Obama also addressed the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. He said that allowing the controversial Keystone pipeline to be built depends on whether it increases net carbon pollution. Just how successful he’ll be in carrying out his sweeping plan to address climate change and whether it goes far enough is a matter of debate.

To read further, go to: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/6/26/obamas_climate_plan_a_historic_turning

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