COMPARISON OF POSITIONS: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
By George Hume
ISSUE
SEN. MCCAIN”S POSITION
• Global Warming Would Be One of
Three Key Issues of His Presidency
SEN. OBAMA’S POSITION
• Will Implement Cap-and-Trade Pro-
gram to Reduce carbon emissions to
80% below 1990 Levels by 2050. All
Pollution Credits to be Auctioned.
• Would Use a Cap-and-Trade Plan
with a Target to Cut to 1990 Levels by
2020 and to 60% Below 1990 by 2050
ENERGY
USAGE
IMPACTS ON
GLOBAL
WARMING
• Use a Portion of Revenue from cap
and-trade to Invest in: 1) Basic
Research;2) Tech. Demos.; and 3)
Commercialization
•Would Use a Portion of Revenues from
Cap-and-Trade for Nuclear Power
R&D
• Supports Public-Private partnerships to
Develop Hi Tech. Systems for Coal
Gasification and Carbon Sequestering
• Opposed to Drilling in the Arctic Na-
• Regain a World Leadership Position
by Re-engaging the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change
• Invest $150 B Over 10 Years in a
Clean Energy Economy and Help
Create “Green Jobs”. Create New
Job Training Programs for “Green
Technologies”.
tional Wildlife Refuge.
PCC VG 1
COMPARISON OF POSITIONS: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
ISSUE
ISSUE
Sen. McCain’s Position/Comments
Sen. Obama”s Position/Comments
• Set
Goal to Reduce
Electricity Demand by
•Supports
raising vehicle
fuel consumption SEN.
SEN.
MCCAIN”S
POSITION
OBAMA’S
POSITION
15% from DOE Projection by 2020.
standards
but hasWould
not setBespecific
• Global
Warming
One ofnumbers • Will Implement Cap-and-Trade Pro-
Efficiency in
ENERGY
Energy Use
USAGE
And Energy
IMPACTS
ON
Conservation
GLOBAL
WARMING
Three
Key Issues
of His Presidency
•Previously
introduced
legislation that
would have set the standard at 36 mpg by
2016.
• Would Use a Cap-and-Trade Plan
• Has called on automakers to make a
with
a Target
to Cut
to 1990
more
rapid shift
to flex
fuelLevels
cars. by
2020 and to 60% Below 1990 by 2050
• Believes that we need to deploy Smart
Meter technologies
•Would Use a Portion of Revenues from
Cap-and-Trade for Nuclear Power
R&D
Vehicle
Fuel Economy
Standards
gram •toIncrease
Reduce
carbon
emissions
to
by 4%/year While Protecting Financial
80% below
Levels
by 2050.
All
Future 1990
of Domestic
Automakers
(incl.
$4B
For
Tax
Credits
and
Loan
Guarantees)
Pollution Credits to be Auctioned.
• Goal: New Buildings Carbon Neutral by
• Use a 2030
Portion
of Revenue
fromEfficiency
cap
and Improve
New Building
by 50%
by 2030.in: 1) Basic
and-trade
to Invest
Research;2)
Tech.
Demos.;
3)
• Overhaul
Federal
Applianceand
Efficiency
Standards
Commercialization
• Our Federal Government is World’s Largest
• RegainSingle
a World
Leadership
Consumer
of Energy. Position
Provide the
Resources
Necessary
to
Achieve
a 15%
by Re-engaging the UN Framework
Reduction in Fed. Energy Use by 2015.
Convention on Climate Change
• Incentivize Utilities to Improve Efficiency.
• Supports Public-Private partnerships to
Develop Hi Tech. Systems for Coal
Gasification and Carbon Sequestering
• Opposed to Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
• Invest $150 B Over 10 Years in a
• Establish a Smart Grid Investment Grant
Clean Energy
Help
Matching Economy
Program incl.and
Demo.
Projects.
Create “Green Jobs”. Create New
• Weatherize 1 Million Low Income Homes
Job Training
for “Green
per Year Programs
for the Next Decade.
Technologies”.
• Reform Federal Transportation Program
Funding to Incentivize Energy Conservation.
PCC VG2
COMPARISON OF POSITIONS: PRESIDENTIALCANDIDATES
ISSUE
SEN. MCCAIN”S POSITION
• Global Warming Would Be One of
Three Key Issues of His Presidency
SEN. OBAMA’S POSITION
• Will Implement Cap-and-Trade Pro-
gram to Reduce carbon emissions to
80% below 1990 Levels by 2050. All
Pollution Credits to be Auctioned.
• Would Use a Cap-and-Trade Plan
with a Target to Cut to 1990 Levels by
2020 and to 60% Below 1990 by 2050
ENERGY
USAGE
IMPACTS ON
GLOBAL
WARMING
• Use a Portion of Revenue from cap
and-trade to Invest in: 1) Basic
Research;2) Tech. Demos.; and 3)
Commercialization
•Would Use a Portion of Revenues from
Cap-and-Trade for Nuclear Power
R&D
• Supports Public-Private partnerships to
Develop Hi Tech. Systems for Coal
Gasification and Carbon Sequestering
• Opposed to Drilling in the Arctic Na-
• Regain a World Leadership Position
by Re-engaging the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change
• Invest $150 B Over 10 Years in a
Clean Energy Economy and Help
Create “Green Jobs”. Create New
Job Training Programs for “Green
Technologies”.
tional Wildlife Refuge.
PCC VG 3
COMPARISON OF POSITIONS:PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
ISSUE
SEN. MCCAIN”S POSITION
• Global Warming
WouldForeign
Be One Oil
of
•Advocates
Suspending
Purchase
for Strategic
Petroleum
Three Key
Issues of His
Presidency
Reserve During Periods of High Prices.
• Would Windfall
Use a Cap-and-Trade
• Opposes
Profit TaxPlan
on US
Oil Companies.
with a Target to Cut to 1990 Levels by
2020 and to 60% Below 1990 by 2050
•Lift Restrictions on Off ShoreDrilling
Short
Term
ENERGY
and Provide Incentives to States the
Responses
USAGE to
Exploration.
•Would
Use a Portion of Revenues from
IMPACTS
ExcessiveON Permit
GLOBAL
Energy
Cap-and-Trade for Nuclear Power
WARMING
•
Commit
$2Billion Annually to
Costs
R&D
Advance Clean Coal Technology
• Supports
Public-Private
partnerships
•Would
Work
to Create System
of to
TaxDevelop
CreditsHi
forTech.
Development
Systems forof
Coal
Renewable Energy Sources.
Gasification and Carbon Sequestering
• Opposed to Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
SEN. OBAMA’S POSITION
• Will
• Provide
Implement
DirectCap-and-Trade
Emergency Energy
Pro-
Rebate
gram toofReduce
$500 for
carbon
Individuals
emissions
andto
$1000
80% below
for Couples
1990 Levels
for Gas
byand
2050.
Heating
All
Oil
Pollution
to be Paid
Credits
for to
from
be Auctioned.
Windfall Profits
Tax on Oil Companies
• Use a Portion of Revenue from cap
and-trade
• Close Speculation
to Invest in:Loopholes
1) Basic in the
Commodity
Research;2) Futures
Tech. Demos.;
Tradingand 3)
Regulations
Commercialization
• Regain
• Consider
a World
Release
Leadership
of LightPosition
Oil from
the
by Re-engaging
Strategic Petroleum
the UNReserve
Framework
and
Replace
Convention
it later
on Climate
with Heavier
Change
Grades
• Invest
• Encourage
$150 BTechniques
Over 10 Years
to Recover
in a
More
CleanOil
Energy
fromEconomy
Existing Oil
andFields
Help
Create “Green Jobs”. Create New
Job
• Set
Training
Aggressive
Programs
National
for “Green
Efficiency
Goals
Technologies”.
and Implement Program Steps to
Achieve
•Weatherize 1M Homes Annually.
PCC VG 4