With new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's announcement yesterday
that his country will ratify the Kyoto agreement, the United States
became the only major industrialized nation that refuses to sign the
protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bush administration has insisted that the Kyoto accords, which went
into effect in 2005, would unreasonably limit this nation's ability to
address climate change in ways that recognize its specific
environmental and economic concerns.
But the inability of the United States to craft a comprehensive
domestic energy policy that would reduce its reliance on fossil fuels
hardly engenders optimism in Bush's we'll-go-solo approach.
Americans concerned about high gasoline prices must hope that more can
be accomplished to reduce our dependence on foreign oil with energy
legislation trying to fight its way through Congress.
A big step was taken late Friday when House Democrats negotiated an
agreement on perhaps the most important element of a new energy bill -
an update of rules requiring automakers to make more fuel-efficient
vehicles.
Rep. John Dingell (D., Mich.) had argued that more stringent CAFE
standards would harm the auto industry that is so vital to his home
state. But he relented in exchange for job guarantees and other
incentives sought by Detroit.
The House bill would mandate new cars and light trucks to average 35
miles per gallon by 2020. Current law will require new cars to average
27.5 m.p.g. next year; light trucks, 22.5 m.p.g..
A full House vote on what could become the first increase in CAFE
standards in 32 years may come as early as Wednesday. But Republican
opposition is strong in both houses of Congress, so its ultimate fate
is far from assured.
Especially with Bush threatening to whip out his veto stamp.
Beyond CAFE standards, Congress must consider how far to go in moving
the nation to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and
hydroelectric power. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia
have adopted standards requiring the generation of more electricity
from these cleaner sources, but Congress has hesitated to take that
route.
The House bill would require utilities to produce 15 percent of their
electricity from such sources by 2020. As they consider the
legislation, members of Congress from this area must be mindful of
public sentiment in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for stronger energy
policies such as this.
Both states were recently awarded stars by the Environment America
advocacy group for being bold in addressing energy issues. Effective
energy policy, however, shouldn't be piecemeal. While it's good to see
these states and others acting in the absence of better federal policy,
it's time for Congress to take the right steps.
