Global Warming and Climate Change Legislation Update

You may recall the various federal proposals for addressing climate change introduced in recent months that were met with varying degrees of approval by conservation and environmental groups:

The League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club and several other groups have applauded the Sanders–Boxer Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (Sen. Bernie Sanders I-VT, Barbara Boxer D-CA), which has been signed by a growing list of senators.  To date, Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester have not signed onto this legislation. 
 
But there’s good reason to support it.  The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act requires an 80 percent reduction in global warming emissions by 2050, establishes a renewable electricity standard, reduces pollution from cars and trucks and improves energy efficiency. The bill also offers a “cap and trade” program that provides flexibility for companies meeting global warming pollution reduction goals.
 
Also introduced in the Senate is the Warner-Lieberman Climate Bill (John Warner R-VA, Joseph Lieberman I-CT).  Many organizations believe that the bill needs strengthening.  The heart of the Lieberman-Warner proposal is a cap-and-trade system, which would guarantee pollution cuts. But the bill only calls for a 70 percent reduction in global warming pollution by mid-century, compared to 80 percent in the Sanders-Boxer legislation. 

The proposal also includes many giveaways of “emissions allowances” to polluters, enabling companies to rely heavily on offsets, rather than making significant pollution cuts on their own.  Just recently, however, Sen. Lieberman announced that he would consider changing the bill to sell pollution permits at auction on the market, which would reverse the current proposal that gives away credits to polluters.