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

In an interview with Grist, Sen. Obama answered a number of environmental questions including the following question about a carbon tax vs. a cap-and-trade program.

“I believe that, depending on how it is designed, a carbon tax accomplishes much of the same thing that a cap-and-trade program accomplishes. The danger in a cap-and-trade system is that the permits to emit greenhouse gases are given away for free as opposed to priced at auction. One of the mistakes the Europeans made in setting up a cap-and-trade system was to give too many of those permits away. So as I roll out my proposals for a cap-and-trade system, I will price permits so that it has much of the same effect as a carbon tax.” (Read more here)

We caught up with Rudy Giuliani this morning who was talking about health care in Rochester.  With the Union of Concerned Scientists saying that there are serious concerns about climate change and public health and 84% of NH Republican primary voters favoring that we take action against global warming now, Giuliani discussed climate change for over five minutes during the Q&A. 

Giuliani made clear that he is dedicated to nuclear power, not as the ’silver bullet’ to solve the climate change crisis but as an area that should be expanded.  Giuliani segued into a discussion on how many of his solutions to energy independence would simultaneously combate climate change.  Giuliani supports funding research of clean coal technologies to help them become competative in the market.  Giuliani cited that hydro, wind, and solar power only make up about 7% of our energy supply now and he wanted to see that at about 15-20%.

Giuliani then recognized the role that foreign policy holds in a climate change plan beyond achieving energy independence and breaking from Middle East oil.  He believes that the president must lead our nation into international cooperation on climate change, especially with India and China.  He stated that climate change is a serious issue, but “we should not react to it as if it were a crisis.  Because if we do we will make serious mistakes distorting our economy.  We won’t get requisite changes from the by countries that have to make changes for our changes to be worth it.”

Click here to listen to what Giuliani said in Rochester.

Just in from Zo Tobi and the Re-Energize NH organizers:

“This evening - Tuesday, July 31 at 6:30pm - the March to Re-Energize New Hampshire is celebrating its kickoff in Greely Park, at 105 Concord St. in Nashua.  Granny D, no stranger to long journeys for a cause, will talk to us about the power of walking, and give her blessings as we prepare to go.

We’ve devoted the last two months of our lives to organizing the March to Re-Energize New Hampshire.  Wednesday morning, dozens of marchers will leave Nashua’s City Hall, bound for Concord to issue one of the loudest calls yet for real global warming solutions…

Sign up to join us for the March to Re-Energize NH:  Aug. 1-5, or the rally on Sunday, Aug 5!”

Read the rest of Zo’s blog here.

Last Friday, the Beltway Blogroll posted a blog about the controversial global warming question that was asked by a snowman on the CNN and You Tube debate.  The blogger was “stunned” that CNN used the clip and while he noted it was mildly amusing, he thinks it “made a mockery of a hot-button policy issue.”  Read more here. 

Mitt Romney told the Union Leader that he thinks “the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman” and that he is hesitant about taking part in the Republican version in Florida this September.

Well, both Romney and the Beltway Blogroll should be happy that real people were asking presidential candidates questions about global warming this weekend.  The Repeal of Gravity blogger told TPC that he caught up with Gov. Richardson in Claremont and asked for his views on decreasing dependency on foreign oil versus decreasing dependency on oil in general.  In his July 28 blog, the blogger recapped that Richardson “is firmly in the camp of those who want to move to renewable resources.” Read more here.

John Edwards was also touring around the state this weekend taking questions from real people (not snowmen) on global warming and energy.  A FOTPC who saw Edwards in Manchester reported that he didn’t get a question in, but was happy to hear the Senator talk about the issue.  In Epping, a volunteer got Edwards to wear a “Stop Global Warming” sticker even though he said he usually doesn’t wear stickers. 

Sen. Edwards told large crowds in Londonderry and Dover that “If we do it the right way, we can strengthen the American economy…We can create at least a million new jobs, you know they won’t be blue collar jobs, we call them green collar jobs.”  Edwards also talked about how we could have a positive impact on the world, particularly in the conflict-ridden Middle East, by reducing our dependence on their oil and forcing them to reform.

Hear what Edwards had to say in Dover:  Audio1 Audio2

Both Gov. Romney and Sen. McCain were in NH on Wednesday talking about global warming and energy independence.  Both of the Republican candidates shared their plans to combat global warming and received questions about whether they would raise fuel efficiency standards to both reduce carbon emissions and our dependence on foreign oil.  (Studies show that if we raised it to 45mpg we could save 3 million barrels of oil a day, enough to replace all of the oil we get from the Persian Gulf). 

After Romney discussed his No Regrets policy (see our July 23rd blog for more about Gov. Romney’s energy plans) he got into more detail about fuel efficiency.  Romney stated that he absolutely thinks being efficient with the energy we are currently using is the best way to both reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce our carbon emissions.  He stated that he hopes to see cars running on 50mpg within the next 10-20 years and that “this country can lead the world in technology.”  He didn’t identify what actions he would pursue or support to raise fuel efficiency, but did seem supportive of the idea.  One can only wonder if he would support raising fuel efficiency standards or if he hopes the market alone will bring us up to 50mpg. 

Listen to what Romney had to say in Bedford: Audio 1, Audio2

After admitting to an audience in Keene that he didn’t know a lot about global warming during his campaign in 2000, Sen. McCain announced “I am convinced.  There is not a doubt in my mind that climate change is real” and that “we have to move forward with green technologies.”  He mentioned the need for both a cap and trade system and development of nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

When a FOTPC asked about raising fuel efficiency standards, McCain stated that we have to increase it but wants to do so with careful negotiations in order not to bankrupt the auto industry. 

Listen to what McCain had to say in Keene: Audio 1, Audio 2 

Senator Hillary Clinton met in Portsmouth yesterday with the media and New Hampshire citizens to discuss her plan to achieve energy independence and combat climate change.  Clinton assured the crowd that her administration “will have a global warming agenda.”  Just like the internet, which came from a government initiative, Clinton believes that new energy innovation will “unleash the genius of the American economy.”

Clinton described a new program, her Green Building Fund that would assist Americans to be more efficient and create jobs.  States would receive one billion dollars per year from the federal government to make their school, fire, and office buildings more energy efficient.

Just like the Apollo and Manhattan Projects before, Clinton emphasized the need for an intense research and development program in search of alternative fuels and energy efficiency to combat climate change.  Clinton’s Strategic Energy Fund plan will provide fifty billion dollars to R&D.

Where does this money come from?  Clinton mentioned three sources.  Royalties from drilling in public lands would create ten billion dollars.  Twenty billion dollars that was previously given to oil companies as tax subsidies would be reallocated to fund research.  For the final twenty billion dollars, Clinton would provide the oil companies with a proposition.  Either they commit twenty billion to research in alternative fuels, or they will be forced to pay a tax on their past and future ‘windfall profits.’  She then assured the crowd that even though “they will say I’m going after the oil companies.  Well, I am going after the oil companies.”

Other take-aways from Clinton’s remarks yesterday afternoon include legislation for economy wide emissions reductions.  She supports 80% reductions of 1990 levels by the year 2050.  After recognizing that there were flaws in the Kyoto treaty, Clinton stressed the need for cooperation with international partners, especially China and India.

 We see elements of six of the Carbon Coalitions seven benchmarks of a comprehensive action program, but there is no solid commitment to an early action program to be implemented within 150 days of the election at this time.

To hear audio of the entire speech click here

To hear audio of the Q&A click here