Visit Think Progress for a great summary of McCain’s pitiful attempt to attack Obama’s energy policy. So much for intelligent discourse…
Remember middle school, where it was way more important to try to be cool in front of your friends rather than actually express knowledge or understanding?
NPR reported on the positions of McCain and Obama regarding nuclear power. The comparison is fair and well-researched, in my opinion; the only failing of the report is that it neglects to rate either candidate on pronunciation of the word ‘nuclear’. The report is at NPR for you to read, or listen to, yourself.
In my opinion, nuclear power should not, as Obama said, be taken off the table. But Obama’s lack of detail on his plan is worrisome. Then again, John McCain’s position on disposing of waste at Yucca Mountain only on the presidential campaign trail is worrisome too. The problem with the Yucca Mountain situation is that whether we develop more nuclear power plants or not, the ones we have are still creating waste. And, as one of my students put it on his final exam last year, “we have a problem with nuclear waste because we always wait until after we make waste to decide what to do with it and it piles up and is dangerous and no one wants it.” Which was not really the depth of the issue I was looking for on the exam, but it struck me as summing up a lot of our environmental problems…
This is the second installment in my personal comparison of the environmental platforms of John McCain and Barack Obama. Both candidates, to a large extent, combine their plans for the environment with their energy plans, and thus I will discuss their plans for reducing US greenhouse gas emissions by industry. Both McCain and Obama support a cap-and-trade policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and both favor heavy investment in research and commercialization of alternate energy and transportation options. The major differences between the overarching energy plans are thus the actual ‘caps’, or the greenhouse gas emission limits, and whether the pollution allowances for businesses will be initially auctioned or allotted.
John McCain sets out a timetable for greenhouse gas emissions, with a target of 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Barack Obama wants an 80 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2050, but unlike McCain, he does not specify targets along the way. McCain plans originally to “allot” total permits equal to the greenhouse gas emissions cap, and market participants (McCain specifies electric power, transportation fuels, commercial business, and industrial business) would either hae to reduce their emissions to reach their allowable emissions, or purchae offsets for cash to cover 100% of their required reductions. McCain adds, further down the webpage, “Emissions Permits Will Eventually Be Auctioned To Support The Development Of Advanced Technologies.” Obama requires pollution permits to be auctioned. He also plans to spend some of the revenues on the development of clean energy, investing in energy efficiency improvements, and to address transition costs.
Neither candidate addresses how emissions will be monitored and regulated. I imagine enforcement of this will be expensive…I, for one, would like more detail on that.
Both candidates emphasize the need to heavily promote alternative energy research, as well as streamlining the move from R&D to the marketplace for green technology. Both candidates acknowledge that low-income families might be more affected as these transitions take place, and plan to reduce those impacts (Obama specifies that that would include job-training; McCain does not give details). Both candidates envision America leading the global market in alternative energy technology.
Wow, I just discovered that there is a little ‘presentation’ on the McCain website that has a little cartoon-ish example of how market-based system to curb greenhouse gas emissions works. It is complete with two ‘thermometers,’ one for carbon emissions and one for American jobs. As McCain’s plan plays out, carbon emissions go down and American jobs go up! But it still doesn’t give more details. Obama’s website does not have thermometers, although really I was originally just looking for actual written statements of positions.
Anyway, except for the 20% difference in greenhouse gas emission reduction goals by 2050 (when neither will be in office, anyway) and the delayed auction of emission allowances by McCain, both candidates seem to grasp the necessity of drastic change in our emissions. Both realize that America needs an input of R&D money to take the lead on clean energy technology. There are a lot more details to the energy policies and environmental policies, but on this major part of the issue the candidates both show a refreshing perspective compared to the current administration. Hopefully both of them are sincere.
Alright, I’ve printed out, read, re-read, and scribbled on the campaign information, available from the campaign websites under ‘Issues’, regarding energy and the environment (McCain, Obama). I will be honest, and say that I will probably vote for Obama in the fall election. But I am making every effort to approach these platforms without prejudice. And I welcome polite debate on the topic in the comments. Also, I am a scientist, not a policy person. So I am better able to comment on whether there is scientific foundation and support for the stances the candidates take, rather than whether their proposals are politically feasible.
This first post is going to focus on my overall impression of the energy and environment statements put forth by the candidates. I will examine more specific issues soon.
What the candidates discuss.
First Impressions
So, I have to say that I am not really impressed by either campaign’s ability to communicate their ideas, and that both candidates are so focused on climate change and energy policy that they have largely neglected to present clear and well-thought-out ideas on general conservation and other environmental issues. So those of you who are one-issue voters on, say, whale conservation or seed bank spending, are SOL. Next up, I’ll examine the energy policy and responses to global warming in more detail.
I will, over the next couple months, analyze the campaign platforms of both McCain and Obama on the environment. But I must point out first that on McCain’s website, under ‘Issues’, there is no ‘Environment’. Climate Change, yes, but no environmental platform. Hmm, that would be a strike against. On Obama’s website, under ‘Issues’, there is a category for ‘Energy and Environment.’ This is okay, not great, but okay. And if you read further, there is in fact a more detailed platform pertaining to environmental issues beyond climate change. I’ll let you all stew on that discrepancy for a while.
