The Senate Environment and Publics Work committee passed the Lieberman-Warner climate bill yesterday. Formally known as America's Climate Security Act of 2007, it would create a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions and mandate a 70 percent cut in greenhouse gas pollution by 2050.
The 11-8 vote fell on strict party lines with the exception of Virginia Republican and bill sponsor John Warner. Republicans defeated a proposed greenhouse gas cut of 80 percent relative to 1995 levels; the current cuts are pegged to 2005 levels. They tried unsuccessfully to insert amendments that would have axed the bill if 10,000 automaker jobs were lost, or if global temperatures didn't fall quickly enough.
ScienceNOW reports that the Senate won't take further action until next year, when the bill will likely face the same Republican opposition during a full floor vote. (Notable exceptions: Maine's Susan Collins and Arizona's John McCain.) But the same critique holds for that prospect as for the similar hurdles faced by an energy bill now headed into the Senate. As environmental law professor Phil Brick says, ""If you're an oil or auto company executive, who would you like to sign a bill -- George Bush, or an unknown?"
If Republicans defeat the climate bill, fine. Democrats will probably take control of Congress and the White House in next year's elections, and any legislation they pass will be even greener.
*Update: WiSci partner-in-blogging Alexis Madrigal just commented in the energy bill post that there's one hitch to my plan: What if Republicans win? That's indeed a hitch -- but if that happens, any legislation passed now will probably be gutted. So in case you still think that national politics aren't about anything, that one major party is much the same as the other, understand that next year's elections involve choosing between two fundamentally opposed approaches to what scientists say is the world's most pressing problem. *
Senate Panel Adopts Emissions Curbs [ScienceNOW]
S. 2191: America's Climate Security Act of 2007
Image: MountainRebel
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