The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

In preparation for next week’s G8 summit in Germany, where global warming is expected to be a priority focus, President Bush delivered a speech on climate change today at the White House.  His speech outlined a proposal to “establish a new framework for greenhouse gas emissions for when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.”  The aim is to develop a “long-term global goal” that the US and 15 other nations (emitters that produce roughly 80% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions) agree to reach.  The President proposed the following:

“Each country would establish midterm management targets and programs that reflect their own mix of energy sources and future needs…it’s important to ensure that we get results, and so we will create a strong and transparent system for measuring each country’s performance…The US will work with all nations that are part of this convention to adapt to the impacts of climate change, gain access to clean and more energy-efficient technologies, and promote sustainable forestry and agriculture.” (Read more of his speech here.)

The President’s plan includes eliminating tariff barriers so that the international community can share technology innovations.

Interest groups are already complimenting and criticizing the President’s proposed plan. 

The fact that the President is talking about a long-term, international global warming agreement, will serve as a baseline against which Republican candidates must communicate and benchmark their climate proposals.  We hope to hear from these candidates in New Hampshire.

Many presidential candidates are calling for an ‘Apollo’ like project to address the issue of global warming.  Ironically, a recent interview aired on National Public Radio shows that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin doesn’t agree.  Griffin said “to assume that [global warming] is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth’s climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever had and that we need to take steps to make sure that doesn’t change…I’m not sure that it is a problem we must wrestle.”  James Hansen, NASA’s top climate scientist, responded to Griffin’s comments: “It’s an incredibly arrogant and ignorant statement…I thought he had been misquoted.  It’s unbelievable.” 

While Griffin’s comments on global warming have created quite the global warming buzz, Fred Thompson’s move at a presidential bid is creating a small political frenzy–is it official yet?  As a potential candidate, we wanted to see where he stands on global warming.  We found this radio clip from March 22.  It isn’t a position, but it does give us a better understanding of where he’s coming from.

Some people think that our planet is suffering from a fever.  Now scientists are telling us that Mars is experiencing its own planetary warming: Martian warming. It seems scientists have noticed recently that quite a few planets in our solar system seem to be heating up a bit, including Pluto…This has led some people, not necessarily scientists, to wonder if Mars and Jupiter, non signatories to the Kyoto Treaty, are actually inhabited by alien SUV-driving industrialists who run their air-conditioning at 60 degrees and refuse to recycle. Silly, I know, but I wonder what all those planets, dwarf planets and moons in our SOLAR system have in common…(Go here to read the entire transcript.)

For the record, the sun is not getting hotter.  If you care to wade through the data, it is here.  And there are other reasons for warming on Mars and you can read about them here.

Today The Chicago Tribune ran this article about Thompson making an official run.  It said if Thompson decides to run it will be “a move that will throw a wild card into the competition for the Republican Party’s conservative core.”  The article compares Thompson’s conservative campaign with others in the race: ”Sen. John McCain of Arizona is viewed with suspicion because he strayed from conservative orthodoxy on campaign finance reform, tax cuts and global warming.”  If addressing the issue of global warming is straying from conservative orthodoxy, then it seems an overwhelming majority of NH Republican voters have strayed as well.

Also, before Obama returns to the state for the debates on Sunday, we have to point to this blog entry that explains Obama’s position on coal-to-liquid fuel.  It writes: “he is undermining his own claim to be above politics, to be the kind of leader who looks beyond narrow, parochial interests to do what’s right for all Americans.”  It’s an interesting read, and if you happen to see Obama in NH this weekend, you might want to ask him about it.

Yesterday I had the chance to see Gov. Romney speak at the BIA National Leaders Forum in Rochester.  He began by stating that we’ve reached a critical time for our country and we need to develop strategies to overcome many of the challenges we face today–challenges such as overspending in DC, using too much oil, immigration, education, etc.  I was fortunate to ask one of the audience questions, and I inquired how he plans to address the issue of global warming. About a month ago during one of his visits to Portsmouth he was asked the same question.  Here’s how he responded then:

“We must become independent from foreign sources of oil…developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol…If there is a carbon cap, I’ll make sure it’s global and not just domestic.”

And his latest response:

“You’re seeing the climate get warmer or climate change is occurring and I believe that human activity is contributing to that.  I don’t know what proportion of the change is due to human activity but my policy is to adopt what I refer to as a ‘no regrets policy’–to take action that allows us to become more energy efficient and ultimately become energy independent as a nation.”

Romney explained, we would see a number of benefits: 1) reduced dependence on foreign oil from “people who don’t like us”; 2) about a billion dollars a day would stay in the US economy rather than go to other countries; 3) reduced greenhouse gas emissions.  Romney wants to see all efforts carried out on a “global basis” because he doesn’t think it’s “productive for us to work solely on a unilateral basis to reduce our greenhouse gases, if we have countries like China and India.”

“So this ‘no regrets policy’ says energy independence, oh and as well reduces our CO2 emissions.”  (Listen to his entire response here.)

I followed up with Romney after his speech (The Today Show captured this moment, see above) and I asked him his thoughts on a cap and trade system or a carbon tax.  “That’s something we’re looking into” he replied.

Let us know what you think about Romney’s answers.

In other news…last week Sen. John Edwards was in Bartlett.  He called global warming a “crisis of leadership,” something that he believes he could positively affect as president.  He explained “global warming is a crisis now, not 10 years from now.  Global warming is already causing a serious lack of food and drinking water, as well as political upheaval and wars over resources.”  And, staying on his message, he used his go-to line “America [needs to be] patriotic about something other than war.”

This was a busy weekend in NH.  Gov. Tommy Thompson started the weekend early with a WMUR interview Friday afternoon for the ongoing political series “Conversation with the Candidate.”  I had been chosen earlier to be a part of the small audience.  I was grateful for the chance to get up-close with a candidate, but unfortunately WMUR put my question on global warming in the 11th spot (following many Health Care questions and even a question about avian flu) and I never had the opportunity to ask it in on camera.  But, I did get to talk to Thompson after the filming was finished.  I asked him how he would address the issue of global warming as president and he listed four main points: 1) bring the best scientists to Washington and put them to work on the issue.  2) get the US independent “well maybe not completely” of foreign oil by using both corn and cellulosic ethanol 3) raise the fuel standards (but he gave no specifics about how much) 4)invest in renewables.  I asked Thompson, who boasted being the only candidate with “solutions,” if he will release a comprehensive plan soon and he said “very soon.”  We’ll look forward to seeing it.  In the meantime, we hope he keeps holding onto that sticker!

Many FOTPCs got out to see other candidates this weekend.  Here’s what they had to say:

From Barrington: “I attended the Chris Dodd house party in Barrington today.  There were two main parts of his discussion: The war in Iraq and Global Warming/Energy Policy.  My impression after hearing him and reading his plan is that he really gets it.

He was running late and didn’t take many questions so I didn’t get a chance to ask him one.  However, after it was done I was able to shake his hand and speak to him briefly.  I did mention that 164 towns have passed the NH Climate Change Resolution, which he was already familiar with.  I offered him a Carbon Coalition “Stop Global Warming” pin which he graciously accepted.  I wonder if he wore it at the house party in Portsmouth.”

From Hanover “I got in at the Obama rally today in Hanover, right in the front row.  There were no opportunities for Q & A with maybe over 2,000 in attendance and many turned away. 

The Senator mentioned in a short section of his 20 minute speech that global warming is a key challenge facing America, that 40-45 mpg CAFE could eliminate oil imports, that a carbon cap would result in investment in alternatives.  I would call him good on the carbon cap, CAFE, RPS.  However, he is a prime sponsor of a coal-to-liquids bill in the senate.

I was able to hand the Senator a written copy of my question about liquid coal.”  (For more on liquid coal see this article in today’s New York Times.)  Hopefully, he’ll give this FOTPC an answer.  Stay tuned.