News
Copenhagen Accord Results from Meeting of 193 Nations On December 18, the UN decided to "take note" of the Copenhagen Accord which will serve as non-binding blueprint to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The conference had to "take note" of the Accord, as opposed to formally approving it, because otherwise the opposition of several developing countries would have prevented the Accord from going into effect.
EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed an endangerment finding, which labels six anthropogenic greenhouse gases as a threat to public health and the well-being of future generations. The endangerment finding was published in the Federal Register on December 15.
Senate EPW Passes Climate Change Bill The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved S.1773, the John Kerry sponsored Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, on November 5, 2009.
Progress on Climate Change Bill The House passed American Clean Energy and Security Act while the Senate will start deliberating on their climate change bill, The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, the week of October 26. Resources For the Future compares the two bills.
EPA Requires Companies to Track Greenhouse Gases On September 22, EPA announced a final rule that requires companies that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2 equivalent per year to track and report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data.
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Al Gore speaks at the 2009 AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago
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Featured Science & Technology in Congress
Articles
Results from Climate Talks in Copenhagen
From December 7 to 18, delegates from 193 nations gathered in Copenhagen to determine how to address climate change. The development of the Copenhagen Accord was led by the United States, China, India, and South Africa. The conference decided to "take note" of the Accord instead of formally approving it, which will allow it to go into effect despite the opposition of several developing countries, who feel it does not go far enough to combat climate change. Continue reading...
EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final endangerment finding which labels six greenhouse gases as threats to "the public health and welfare of current and future generations." Although the endangerment finding does not contain any binding mandates, it will be used as a tool to regulate emitters of these gases under the Clean Air Act. Continue reading...
Climate Emails Draw Scrutiny
Hackers obtained and posted a number of files from the UK's University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit, including correspondence between prominent climate researchers. Although some climate-change skeptics are citing the emails as a "smoking gun" that they say corrupts climate research findings, others, including a number of leading scientists, say the illegally-obtained emails have little bearing on climate science advancements. Continue reading...
Climate Change Debate to Continue into 2010
Earlier this year, hopes were high for the enactment of domestic and international measures to address climate change. But weeks out from the start of international negotiations in Copenhagen, nations have announced that they only intend to produce an interim agreement and delay a final treaty to 2010. Congressional leaders, too, have announced that Senate floor consideration of a bill will have to wait until next spring. Continue reading...
Senate Unveils Climate Bill
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Foreign Relations Chair John Kerry (D-MA) released their long-awaited climate change bill, dubbed the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, S.1733, on September 30. The bill sets targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050.
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Climate Change Hits The Senate
The Senate went straight to work on climate legislation after the House passed the American Clean Energy Security Act (H.R. 2454) on June 26, examining familiar sticking points such as the impact of legislation on the American economy, particularly agriculture, and how allowances will be distributed and proceeds utilized. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has asked committees with jurisdiction to report out bill by late September, signaling another flurry of activity to come in the fall.
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Climate and Energy Bills Advance.
In a 219-212 vote late on June 26, the House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), a massive 1400 page bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions and transform the nation’s energy supply. The Senate has made progress on an energy bill, with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approving the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 by 15-8 vote on June 17 after holding 11 markups and considering more than 200 amendments. The bill does not contain a cap-and-trade program to limit greenhouse gas emissions, but includes a number of provisions to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy.
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Climate Bill Out of One Committee, More to Come
After several weeks of delay while leaders worked to gain enough votes, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) by a 33-25 vote on May 21. Despite four long days of mark up of more than 90 amendments, the bill remained predominately similar to a consensus version released by Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chair Ed Markey (D-MA) on May 15.
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Biofuels Analysis Under Fire
As an energy and climate bill (H.R.2454) took center stage in the House, EPA announced plans to implement provisions in the 2007 energy bill. On May 5, EPA released a proposed rule for public comment that presents a plan for meeting the renewable fuels target and analyzes greenhouse gas reductions of various biofuels. Continue reading...
EPA Finds Greenhouse Gas Emissions Endanger Health
On April 17, two years after the Supreme Court ordered a decision, EPA announced that automobile emissions endanger public health and welfare and therefore must be regulated under the Clean Air Act. EPA’s proposed endangerment finding states, "In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act."
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Major Climate Bill Draft Unveiled in House
Opening what promises to be an intense debate in the coming months, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Edward Markey (D-MA) released a sweeping draft bill to address greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, and climate change on March 31. Dubbed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, the 650-page draft was quickly praised by many in the environmental community.
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Package of Energy Bills Advances Through Senate Committee
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced a package of energy R&D and efficiency bills shortly before the April recess with broad bipartisan support. The bills will likely be merged into a single package for floor debate. The committee plans to debate more controversial energy bills in the coming months.
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Renewable Energy Standard Debates Continue
Much energy policy debate has centered on the creation of a national renewable energy standard (RES) - a requirement that utilities produce a set amount of electricity from renewable sources of energy. Proponents, such as Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), see the potential for a federally mandated RES to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create "green collar" manufacturing jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy. Critics of an RES are wary of the cost and ability of states with differing renewable resources to meet a national standard.
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Appropriators Examine Climate Science, Satellites
Without a FY 2010 budget request in place, House appropriators examined the current science of climate change and tools needed to advance it.7
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Climate Legislation Starts Anew
Amid efforts to use green technologies and jobs to stimulate the economy, Congress began work on legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. On February 3, Environment and Public Works Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced a broad set of principles for climate change legislation. The principles include setting targets that are “guided by science to avoid dangerous global warming” and lay out uses for the revenues from the carbon market. They also state the need for “a level global playing field, by providing incentives for emission reductions and effective deterrents so that countries contribute their fair share to the international effort to combat global warming.” Boxer was joined by many of the Democrats on the committee at a press conference to release the principles, with many emphasizing the job creation potential resulting from such a plan. Continue reading...
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Climate Change & Energy Statements and Letters
-- As Senators debate climate change legislation, AAAS and 17 other scientific societies signed onto a joint letter affirming climate change science and offering assistance to Senators as they debate legislation. (October 21, 2009)
--On August 27, AAAS sent Sens. John D. Rockefeller, IV and Kay Bailey Hutchison a letter supporting the "provisions to establish a strong climate change research program and a National Climate Service in the Senate climate bill."
--AAAS submitted comments and the AAAS Board Statement on Climate Change on in response to EPA's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act. (November 14, 2008)
--AAAS sent a letter to Members of the Environment and Public Works Committee "to take action now to enable a debate on the Senate floor on how best to mitigate and adapt to climate change." The letter draws upon the AAAS Board Statement on Climate Change. (November 30, 2007) AAAS then thanked key Members for their efforts. (December 14, 2007)
--The AAAS Board of Directors released a statement on the “The Crisis in Earth Observation from Space.” According to
the statement, “The network of satellites upon which the United States
and the world have relied for indispensable observations of Earth from space
is in jeopardy” due to budget constraints and a shift in priorities. (April
28, 2007)
--The AAAS Board of Directors released a statement on climate change, noting that the "scientific evidence is clear: global
climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing
threat to society." (February 18, 2007)
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Updated October 22, 2009
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