Environmentalists and politicians are strange bedfellows indeed and we are seeing the result of the interaction very clearly during our current and difficult times. Much emphasis is being placed on ways to restrict and regulate carbon trade, as our overreliance on energy and our excessive consumption is under debate. You can never bet on a political outcome and it seems that we are swinging from one side of the arena to another as the various schemes are considered in relation to greenhouse gas abatement.
In 2009, the political landscape was such that the House of Representatives in the United States was able to pass a comprehensive raft of legislation, albeit narrowly. The American Clean Energy and Security Act included a controversial “cap and trade” scheme, somewhat similar to the Emissions trading Scheme in Europe. Despite the efforts required to pass this through the House, little has been achieved since that time in the Senate.
In the spring of 2010, carbon trade is under heated discussion. Three senators from across party divides are trying to craft a bill to bring carbon trade legislation to the Senate floor in the forthcoming sessions. As each day goes by however, environmentalists are becoming more and more concerned, as meaningful legislation appears to be watered down with every passing reading.
The cap and trade scheme proposed by the House of Representatives is likely to have a much more limited reach, initially, under the bill being crafted by Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman. Industries within the power sector would be affected by cap and trade, with the provision for the scheme to be expanded to other sectors thereafter.
Democrats had a majority in the U.S. Senate until the late Sen. Kennedy’s seat fell to a Democrat in one of the biggest upsets in US political history. The Democrats now find themselves much weaker and must listen to what Republicans are saying. As Republicans are in turn so opposed to climate legislation, we are seeing the fruits of this discord. A carbon trade scheme is much less likely now than it was, but still on the table.
Republicans say that the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to put in place restrictions of its own to cover carbon emissions. If legislation does not go through Congress, the EPA has already found that emissions are “a danger to public health.”
Climate carbon trade restrictions represent some of the most controversial issues for politicians. As carbon emissions are directly linked to energy use, it is felt that no progress can be made in real world terms unless energy use is restricted, efficiencies achieved and alternative energy uses considered. While some state and regional initiatives are underway or in development, another controversial element of the Senate legislation under consideration is that any federal scheme would in turn cause a state or regional scheme to be canceled.
Whether 2010 brings federal carbon trade legislation or not, it is certain that in one way or the other every business will be forced to consider its energy use, to strive for sustainability and to ensure that it operates at maximum efficiency across the board.
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