Policy Update 11/30/10: Back to work and looking toward Cancun (PICS)
Policy Update 11/30/10: Back to work and looking toward Cancun (PICS)
Today Congress returned from a brief Thanksgiving recess for the final three weeks of session. Time is short, so they are expected to take up only a handful of measures: an appropriations package to keep the government running, Bush tax cuts and a nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia. Though energy legislation remains highly unlikely, Obama Administration officials will be representing the U.S. in Cancun this week, hopefully reiterating their commitment to climate action despite gridlock on Capitol Hill.
Lame Duck Agenda
This week the Senate will return to consider a litany of issues. The top three include a continuing resolution to keep the government running, a vote on whether or not to extend the Bush tax cuts, and the New START treaty with Russia. Leaders also hope to consider an extension of unemployment benefits and food safety regulations.
One of the most important hot button issues right now is whether or not the Republicans are willing to risk shutting down the government to win concessions on appropriations. Right now the plan is to pass a series of "continuing resolutions," (CRs) to keep the government running at current funding levels until the next Congress. Without passing a CR, the government will shut down after midnight December 3rd.
Currently the Republican leaders suggest it's on the table as a threat. Shutting down the government would stall Social Security, veterans' payments, Medicare, and other programs.
U.N. Climate Conference in Cancun
Yesterday delegates from over 200 countries began arriving at Cancun for this year's U.N. climate conference. The primary goal of the conference is to get major economies to extend climate action beyond the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in December 2012. Copenhagen elicited some carbon reduction commitments from the U.S. and China but progress toward those commitments remains ambiguous. A key element of a strong global deal to cut emissions would be an international fund to help developing countries combat climate change and transition to a clean energy economy. International NGOs are pushing for strong climate finance packages to complement carbon reduction commitments. The Atlantic has a more detailed breakdown of what to expect.
A recent U.N. study suggests that existing carbon reduction commitments made in Copenhagen last year only provide 60% of what's needed to avoid 2 degrees Celsius of warming, the "dangerous climate change" threshold that countries agree should not be crossed (in fact many scientists argue 1.5 degrees Celsius is a more appropriate threshold).
Our friends at 350.org put up a massive international art installation in the lead-up to Cancun called "350 eARTh," with art projects at the scale of the climate crisis.
Photo Courtesy DDancer/artforthesky
Photo Courtesy Foto-aerea.net for Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada
Photo Courtesy Steve Amiaga
1Sky is calling for bold climate leadership from the Obama Administration.
Capitol Hill Leadership Shuffle
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was elected Minority Leader two weeks ago by a vote of 152-43. Politico argues that despite Pelosi's poor polling in swing states, members feel that her legislative successes are too great to walk away from -- they blame the President for failing to market Democratic accomplishments like health care reform and see re-electing Pelosi as a symbol of their resolve. She was challenged by Rep. Heath Schuler (D-NC), a strong voice on clean energy, but a moderate on many other issues. He's one of the 20 or so Blue Dogs left after the elections. Many of the Blue dogs who were unelected opposed the House climate bill last year.
- A war still rages over the Energy and Commerce Committee Chairmanship, between Republicans Upton (R-MI), Shimkus (R-IL), Stearns (R-FL), and Barton (R-TX).
- Climate champ Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) will be the next ranking member on the House Natural Resources Committee.
- Rep Steve Israel, SEEC co-founder with Rep Jay Inslee (D-WA) will chair the DCCC.
- Sen. Patty Murray will chair the DSCC, and Sen. Chuck Schumer will be given more responsibility in the Senate.
Election Results Nearly Final
In the Senate, Democrats will remain in power with a 53-47 majority. Independent Lisa Murkowski (I-AK) recently declared victory in her historic write-in campaign in Alaska. She is expected to maintain her seat as Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The House is still waiting on two tight races in CA and NY, but the final composition of next year's Congress is likely 243-192 (+/-1) seat, a 63-seat flip from the 255-180 Democratic majority.
Brad Johnson at Think Progress has been vigilantly tracking public statements from new members denying climate science and have concluded that 76% of Republican senators and 52% of Republicans in the House publicly question the science of global warming.
Please direct questions or comments to jason@1sky.org
