Want to understand what's happening in the climate movement and how your actions can help? Read our talking points to learn more
Overall message
- Climate legislation needs to be a priority now. The planet cannot wait any longer for an effective plan to reduce global warming pollution, and the world is waiting for action from the United States Senate. The failure to achieve a binding treaty during the Copenhagen process was just one more example of this fact. And with the United State economy still limping along, the estimated 1.7 million jobs that clean energy legislation could create are sorely needed.
- 1Sky has not stated a preference regarding the nature of the particular form that a climate bill takes given the diversity of opinions within its 545 allied organizations. There are both positive and negative aspects in proposed cap and trade, cap and dividend and other systems. We are united in believing that most important thing is to pass comprehensive federal action this year that starts to crack down on coal and other dirty fuels, gets us on the road to real short term cuts in carbon , and makes the kind of investments needed to jumpstart the clean energy economy and create millions of well-paying, career track, green jobs.
Comprehensive Action
- 1Sky was pleased to see the recent news that Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman intend to unveil a draft of their comprehensive climate and energy Senate bill at some point in March. Especially encouraging has been the acknowledgements from all senators involved that setting a price on carbon is a necessity if we are to really make progress in fighting climate change and jumpstarting the clean energy economy. We eagerly await other details of the draft legislation and encourage Senators Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman to incorporate the best ideas from CLEAR Act co-sponsors Senators Maria Cantwell and Susan Cantwell.
- It is concerning though to see the heavy reliance on nuclear power and off-shore oil drilling rhetoric in the lead-up to the bill and in President Obama's recent comments. 1Sky stands for renewable energy – not the massive and inefficient investments in clean coal, offshore drilling and nuclear power that are the apparent price the American people are supposed to pay for votes from the status quo. 1Sky advocates that any Senate bill takes the most cost effective route forward – investments in clean energy and green jobs – rather than more bailouts and giveaways to inefficient dinosaur industries that still manage to cling to their political power.
Fighting back against attempts to gut the Clean Air Act
- Of equal concern are efforts by Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) and others to use back-door Senate procedures to gut the Clean Air Act. In 2007, the relatively conservative Supreme Court mandated that big polluters must be held accountable for their pollution under Clean Air Act. Since 2009, the Obama administration has been taking steps to ensure that cars and big polluters use more efficient technology. The Clean Air Act is important because it gives us a way to hold big polluters like coal plants and oil refineries accountable for their pollution, which is essential whether or not climate legislation passes in 2010.
- Bills introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV) would put a 2-year freeze on the Clean Air Act enforcement that is needed to reduce global warming emissions from big polluters. 1Sky strongly opposes these and all other efforts in Congress that undermine the Clean Air Act.
- 1Sky is actively organizing against Murkowski's attacks on the Clean Air Act and similar efforts in the House. 1Sky warns all elected officials that the Clean Air Act is not negotiable and that the citizens in their home states will not stand for slashing landmark legislation that has helped Americans breathe easier for over 30 years.
- Over the President's Day recess, 1Sky members throughout the country brought their concerns with Murkowski's attacks on the Clean Air Act directly to their elected officials. In 19 states 1Sky members spoke directly with their senators or congressmen at public events and hundreds of 1Sky members stopped by district and state offices of their federal representatives to put them on notice that a vote in favor of Murkowski's extreme measure will not be viewed kindly. In addition, leaders from constituency groups such as faith, agriculture, veterans' advocacy, and small business spoke out publicly in a number of states to educate the regional press corps on why so many community leaders are coming out against Murkowski's resolution throughout the country.
- That activity will continue over the next few weeks as 1Sky organizers, regional coordinators, Climate Precinct Captains and 1Sky businesses participate in the 72 Hour Call-In push to the Senate for comprehensive climate legislation and prepare additional activities to show senators that there is a broad and diverse base of support for bold climate in 2010 at their events during the President's Day Congressional Recess.
CLEAR Act
On Friday December 11th, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) released the text of their CLEAR (Carbon Limits and Energy for America's Renewal) Act.
1Sky talking points on the CLEAR Act
- 1Sky is pleased that Cantwell-Collins takes a stand against the high quantity of offset credits that can be substituted for clean energy investments, and eliminates giveaways to fossil fuel companies like Big Oil, Dirty Coal, and nuclear power.
- 1Sky is pleased that Cantwell-Collins does not interfere with existing Clean Air Act requirements that old dirty coal plants meet modern performance standards.
- 1Sky is agnostic on the architecture of a cap on carbon. The Cantwell-Collins bill uses a “cap-and-dividend” structure, meaning it sends per capita monthly rebates to consumers to offset higher fossil fuel energy costs. Proponents of a cap and dividend strategy argue that the rebate component presents new opportunities for public and political support.
- Unfortunately, the cap in the Cantwell-Collins bill sets a substantially weaker 2020 carbon reduction target than any other bill being considered in this congress. These unambitious carbon cuts fall well short of the reductions needed to prevent dangerous climate change and seal a strong global deal.
- Additionally, the Cantwell-Collins bill does not guarantee necessary investments in key clean energy and climate programs, including funds to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change, protect tropical forests, and clean energy technology partnerships.
- 1Sky hopes to see the authors of various Senate bills in close dialogue with one another. 1Sky urges senators to consider the strongest elements of the Cantwell-Collins as they work to build support for comprehensive climate legislation.
Updated March 4, 2010
