Tuesday
Nov102009
Congress Has Two Choices On Addressing Climate Change Says Markey
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 3:59PM
By Julianne LaJeunesse - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
With just under a month left until the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Council on Foreign Relations conversed with U.S. Rep Edward Markey (D-Mass.) Tuesday, where Markey called on Congress "to take the easy route to enacting domestic climate legislation."
Markey, who sponsored the Waxman-Markey climate bill that passed the House in late June, told CFR symposium participants that the United States must voluntarily act on climate change.
“There will be two options marked: the easy way, or the hard way,” Markey said. “Flexible legislation, where we are trying to deal with the impacts of global warming and legislation in our own country... or direct regulation by the EPA. And the flexible and effective legislation that will drive both a domestic clean energy agenda and international climate success is the Waxman-Markey bill.”
Markey stressed that the United States’ next steps are particularly important because, in his opinion, the country failed to make worthwhile strides in climate change legislation during President George W. Bush’s administration.
The Massachusetts Democrat added that the current Congress should adopt a mentality similar to that of the Congress that passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a piece of legislation Markey described as being an international success as far as technology access.
“When it comes to climate and clean energy policy, we need to have a similar integrated approach, in which domestic legislation enables the U.S. to be a strong international advocate,” Markey said. “We recognize the clear and present opportunity we have to become the leaders and not the laggards on clean energy and climate change.”
When pressed by a Chinese embassy representative on how far the United States is willing to go in order to reduce emissions, Markey called the legislation “agressive,” stating, “It changes the entire posture of the United States in a very brief period of time.” Markey added that the U.S. needs to know that China will work with it, saying that commitment among the two countries "will be the great challenge" in Copenhagen.
The Climate Change Conference will be held Dec. 7-18 and most eyes will be on China and the United States, both of whom are expected to make more concrete agreements on reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
With just under a month left until the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Council on Foreign Relations conversed with U.S. Rep Edward Markey (D-Mass.) Tuesday, where Markey called on Congress "to take the easy route to enacting domestic climate legislation."
Markey, who sponsored the Waxman-Markey climate bill that passed the House in late June, told CFR symposium participants that the United States must voluntarily act on climate change.
“There will be two options marked: the easy way, or the hard way,” Markey said. “Flexible legislation, where we are trying to deal with the impacts of global warming and legislation in our own country... or direct regulation by the EPA. And the flexible and effective legislation that will drive both a domestic clean energy agenda and international climate success is the Waxman-Markey bill.”
Markey stressed that the United States’ next steps are particularly important because, in his opinion, the country failed to make worthwhile strides in climate change legislation during President George W. Bush’s administration.
The Massachusetts Democrat added that the current Congress should adopt a mentality similar to that of the Congress that passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a piece of legislation Markey described as being an international success as far as technology access.
“When it comes to climate and clean energy policy, we need to have a similar integrated approach, in which domestic legislation enables the U.S. to be a strong international advocate,” Markey said. “We recognize the clear and present opportunity we have to become the leaders and not the laggards on clean energy and climate change.”
When pressed by a Chinese embassy representative on how far the United States is willing to go in order to reduce emissions, Markey called the legislation “agressive,” stating, “It changes the entire posture of the United States in a very brief period of time.” Markey added that the U.S. needs to know that China will work with it, saying that commitment among the two countries "will be the great challenge" in Copenhagen.
The Climate Change Conference will be held Dec. 7-18 and most eyes will be on China and the United States, both of whom are expected to make more concrete agreements on reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
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