Mother Earth & Energy Policies...

Paying attention to our energy use as a nation is important, especially when strong interests and high profits preclude easy social changes.  We're all getting a little greener (at least you can check out the top 10 searches for environmental issues on Yahoo! and see where mass interest falls in earth issues).  Everyone is going green; it is the big new merchandising trend.  Interest comes before policy?

Goals and objectives by the candidates should be something that is noted.  This chart, prepared by Alan Smith at Energy Action Network shows more than soundbites and campaign news in the corporate media.  I don't think our culture and society will make the energy choices we should without government legislation.   Living in New Mexico, where water issues have been in the public's awareness for a long time, gives Richardson an edge.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Energy policy area	Edwards	Obama	Richardson	Clinton
Plan detail level	Medium	Low	High	Low
CO2 reduction goal	15% by 2020, 80% by 2050	80% by 2050	20% by 2020, 80% by 2040, 90% by 2050	No policy
Post-Kyoto	Yes: binding greenhouse reductions in trade agreements	After we take first step; help developing countries with our technology	Mandatory world-wide limits, help finance leapfrogging in developing countries	No policy
CAFE	40 mpg by 2016	4% annual increase	35 mpg by 2016, 50 by 2020	No policy
Renewable electric standard	25% by 2025	No policy	30% by 2020, 50% by 2040	20% by 2020
Bio-fuels	Goal of 65 billion gallons/year by 2025 (corn ethanol first, then cellulosic)	National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: reduce fossil carbon in fuels by 5% in 2015, 10% in 2020; expand E85 and biodiesel	life-cycle low carbon fuel standard - 30% lower by 2020	Part of Strategic Energy Fund
Carbon tax or cap and trade?	Cap and trade	Cap and trade	Cap and trade	Cap and trade
"Clean coal"	freeze on new coal power until sequestration in place	No freeze; use cap and trade market to decide	by 2020 new plants have to emit 90% below today's	Fund R&D on "clean coal"
Energy R&D	$13 billion/year New Energy Economy fund	No policy	Energy and Climate Investment  Trust Fund - several billion dollars/year	Part of Strategic Energy Fund
Solar/wind production tax credit	make permanent	No policy	10-year extension; add storage technology tax credit	No policy
Oil company subsidies	Repeal	No subsidies that increase global warming	Invite oil companies to become energy companies	Eliminate tax breaks, create new "Strategic energy fund" - oil companies can invest in renewable energy themselves, or pay into the fund
Distributed generation	$5000 tax credit, R&D, smart meters, smart grids	No policy	No policy	No policy
Public transportation	No policy	No policy	increase funding, tax incentives for passengers	No policy
Buildings	weatherizing and other efficiency	No policy	goal of 50% savings by 2030; incentives and regulations on retrofits and new buildings	No policy
Improving Efficiency	Goal-based; cut US govt energy use 20%, add R&D dollars	Market-based; don't prejudge what works	Strong federal standards; efficiency resource program through utilities	Market-based; invest in R&D
Other ideas	GreenCorps - volunteers adding renewable/efficient infrastructure	domestic auto makers get health care assistance for efficiency investments	100 mpg car, smart growth, bike and walking trails, more specifics	"Apollo Project-like program" for energy independence

Comments

[joared]

I appreciate charts such as this for reference. Thanks for posting.

[doggybloggy]

where is the haloscan link?

[janeywan]

Boy.. Richardson wants my vote but he isn't going to get it.

[Lauri]

Great reference chart. Hmmmm... I see way too many No Policy entries.