Obama and McCain on global warming: updated

Updated September 4, 2008

This blog post compiles the various posts I have about the frontrunning Presidential candidates and their positions on global warming. I take this information from a number of sources, including their official platforms, debates, stump speeches, editorials and voting records. In general, Obama and McCain acknowledge the threat to the nation from climate change and have been vocal about the issue in debates and in their stump speeches. The most aggressive and consistent plans to address global warming come from Obama. You can also read the positions of Biden and Palin and the Republican and Democratic Party platforms on climate change at this blog. You won't get all the information you need from the pundits, so congratulations for looking for it yourself:

Obama:

• Positions appear to be consistent with Democratic Party platform on climate change.
• Supports a system to cap and trade greenhouse gases. Believes this system should have no free permits and should be 100% auction. Would "use proceeds from the cap-and-trade auction program to invest in job training and transition programs to help workers and industries adapt to clean technology development and production. " Wants to create a G8 style "Global Energy Forum". Cosponsored Boxer/Sanders bill considered to be more aggressive than Lieberman/Warner for cap-and-trade legislation. Wrote in support of Lieberman-Warner to Senate leadership but was not present for discussion of bill.
• Calls for an 80% reduction in 1990 levels of greenhouse gases by 2050.
• Plans to "re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change" but does not commit to an international treaty per se, which may be an effort to get other countries on board: "A successful approach to climate change requires that all major emitting nations actively participate in the solution. While the United States must lead, we must ensure that China, India, Brazil and all our major trading partners also move quickly to confront this shared global challenge."
• Supports "green jobs" and a "green economy" which would create jobs from an investment in wind, solar, and biofuels (including E85 cornahol, and cellulosic ethanol). Would "invest $150 Billion over 10 years in clean energy [and] double energy research and development funding." Wants to end the dependence on foreign oil. Would "establish a federal investment program to help manufacturing centers modernize and Americans learn the new skills they need to produce green products. "
• Would create a "National Low Carbon Fuel Standard to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels." Would "require that fuel economy standards are improved by four percent per year towards the goal of 40 miles per gallon within ten years and 60 miles per gallon within twenty years of implementation."
• States that "we have an obligation to use some of the money that we generate to shield low-income and fixed-income individuals from higher electricity prices." He has proposed to have inner city youth help the poor with home insulating and energy efficiency.
• Would "establish a 25 percent [quoted in some places as 20%] federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025."
• Would "establish a goal of making all new buildings carbon neutral, or produce zero emissions, by 2030."
• Wants "a major investment in our utility grid to enable a tremendous increase in renewable generation and accommodate modern energy requirements, such as reliability, smart metering, and distributed storage."
• Asks for the American public to do more: "But we're also going to have to ask the American people to change how they use energy. Everybody is going to have to change their light bulbs. Everybody is going to have to insulate their homes. And that will be a sacrifice. But it's a sacrifice that we can meet. Over the long term, it will generate jobs and businesses, and can drive our economy for many decades."
• Talks about "leaving the world a little bit cleaner for our children."
• On nuclear energy there is no clear position [this is changing; Obama is sounding more pro-nuclear but cautious]: "no technology should be rejected outright. I do believe, however, that any additional federal support for one technology must be weighed carefully with the risks or benefits of federal support foregone for other technologies." Also says "a comprehensive energy policy means considering the best possible uses of all sources of energy – whether it’s petroleum, biomass, solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, or coal. If we’re serious about freeing ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil, we can’t leave any energy source off the table."
• Supports subsidies for so-called "clean coal" but would consider a moratorium on new coal plants without this technology. Supports Kentucky clean coal; his campaign put out a flyer about it. Originally supported coal-to-liquid but dropped this support once he learned about the greenhouse gas emissions of this fuel. Has been consistent since then. For more on Obama and coal go here.
• He has been very vocal about climate change in debates and stump speeches. His platform on energy and the environment is available at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/. People like Joe Romm over at Climate Progress have called it excellent; it is considered by many to be the best energy strategy of all the Presidential candidates.

McCain:

• Some positions appear inconsistent with Republican Party platform on climate change. In particular, fuel efficiency standards and the following:
• McCain supports cap-and-trade legislation. Stated supports of S. 2191: America's Climate Security Act of 2007, also known as the Lieberman-Warner bill but then threatened to not support the bill unless it included massive subsidies for nuclear power. Was not present for discussion of bill in Senate. Has been a proponent of cap-and-trade for a long time as a panacea; however, he is in favor of gutting other environmental protections once such a system is in place.
• from Ill Considered, "the schedule of targets John McCain has proposed for his cap-and-trade program: "
  * 2012: Return emissions to 2005 levels (18 percent above 1990 levels)
  * 2020: Return emissions to 1990 levels (15 percent below 2005 levels)
  * 2030: 22 percent below 1990 levels (34 percent below 2005 levels)
  * 2050: 60 percent below 1990 levels (66 percent below 2005 levels)
• Calls global warming "an issue we can no longer afford to ignore."
• Has accused Obama of being against traditional forms of coal and appears to be speaking out of both sides of his mouth on coal.
• Supports green tech, also supports nuclear energy and "clean coal". "I strongly support greater reliance on nuclear power." On clean coal, "it must be a national mission to develop a catalyst capable of breaking down carbon dioxide into useful chemical building blocks, and render it a new source of revenue and opportunity. Doing so will enable us to take advantage of our most abundant energy sources while meeting our clean air and climate stewardship obligations." Would let the market address coal plants through cap-and-trade and would not propose moratoriums. See here.
• Has had a hard time promoting this message to Republicans and has therefore buried it somewhat in his platform.
• Supports international agreements with mandatory limits on greenhouse gases if countries like India and China are on board.
• Wants to end the dependence on foreign oil.
• Says "fuel efficiency standards can play a significant role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and improving the nation’s air quality, and the production of more fuel-efficient cars may also help the America’s automobile manufacturing industry to compete more successfully both at home and abroad. Energy diversity and fuel efficiency can and should be improved. As President I will work with Congress and all stakeholders to see that achievable and appropriate standards are put into place that will optimize advances in technology, protect auto safety, meet family needs and consumer demands, promote the nation’s energy security, and help our industry compete in a global economy." Has voted against fuel efficiency standards.
• Supports technological solutions to global warming: "I believe that the use of advanced materials and other technologies including alternatively fueled vehicles, flexibly fueled vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles can help us meet our objectives successfully."
• Has "supported aggressive CAFE standards in the past and will continue to work to increase CAFE standards to a level that is practical and achievable for all new vehicles, foreign and domestic, because improved fuel economy will help our nation achieve national energy security, reduce carbon emissions, and improve local and regional air quality."
• Does not believe in setting a renewable portfolio standard but believes that the market will create this with the establishment of environmental regulation.
• Promotes energy conservation and efficiency.
• Believes that cap-and-trade legislation will allow the US to get rid of other environmental legislation and incentives, which ClimateProgress says would damage the economy. My review of the issue here.

For more information, the League of Conservation Voters has a voting guide, and Time Magazine has noted the heavy influence climate is expected to have in the 2008 elections by putting together an eco voting guide. Also see this guide to the candidates from Grist.