Where Do the Presidential Candidates Stand on Environment and Energy?

From drilling for oil to climate change, the answers may surprise you















Share on Tumblr

Table of Contents:
1: Global Warming: Is It Man-Made? | Reducing Carbon Emissions
2: Offshore Oil Exploration and Drilling | Drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
3: "Clean Coal" | Natural Gas
4: Nuclear Energy | Endangered Species
5: Water Shortage | Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Geothermal)

Global Warming: Is It Man-Made?

Obama The Democratic presidential contender, Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), acknowledges that climate change is real, man-made and an "immediate threat."

From a July 2007 speech on the floor of the Senate: "I know that when it comes to the word 'carbon,' the range of views among my colleagues is varied and complex. I am among those senators who believe that carbon from human activities contributes to climate change, that it is an immediate threat, and that we must immediately require emission reductions through a strong cap-and-trade system."

McCain Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate, along with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I–Conn.), introduced the Climate Stewardship Act in the Senate in 2003—which was seen as a break with hard-line Republicans. He acknowledges that human activity accelerated global warming and proposes an "all of the above energy solution" called The Lexington Project to stem it.

From remarks made at a wind turbine-manufacturer in Portland, Ore., in May: "For all of the last century, the profit motive basically led in one direction—toward machines, methods and industries that used oil and gas. Enormous good came from that industrial growth, and we are all the beneficiaries of the national prosperity it built. But there were costs we weren't counting, and often hardly noticed. And these terrible costs have added up now—in the atmosphere, in the oceans, and all across the natural world."

Wildcard Wild card:
Although McCain has a strong record with regard to global warming, his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, said in a recent interview: "A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made." She softened her stance during a September 11 interview with ABC News's Charlie Gibson, saying "man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming."

 

Reducing Carbon Emissions

Obama Obama plans to invest $150 billion dollars over the next decade to fund private efforts to develop alternative energies. He also wants to put a million 150-mile- (240-kilometer-) per-gallon plug-in hybrids on the road by 2015 and plans to raise fuel economy standards by 4 percent each year. He will also institute a cap-and-trade system to limit industrial carbon emissions. Carbon credits, which companies can buy if they pollute more than they are allowed, will be auctioned in a market set up by the government. The ultimate goal is to reduce carbon emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

From a speech in Portsmouth, N.H., in October 2007: "No business will be allowed to emit any greenhouse gases for free. Businesses don't own the sky, the public does, and if we want them to stop polluting it, we have to put a price on all pollution."

McCain McCain's platform revolves chiefly around monetary challenges for companies and consumers—including a $5,000 tax credit for consumers who buy zero-emission cars (encouraging automakers to create such vehicles) and a $300-million X PRIZE–like competition to develop a battery for plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars. Like Obama, he supports a cap-and-trade system—but in his version, the government gives carbon credits free of charge to companies who continue to pollute. His ultimate goal: bring carbon emission down to 60 percent below 1990 levels.

From an op-ed McCain wrote for The Financial Times March 19, 2008: "Americans and Europeans need to get serious about substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years or we will hand over a much-diminished world to our grandchildren. … We need a successor to Kyoto, a cap-and-trade system that delivers the necessary environmental impact in an economically responsible manner."



1 2 3 4 5 Next »

15 Comments

Add Comment
View
  1. 1. Eye144 11:47 AM 9/24/08

    vote!

    But also goto www.SolarPanel-Rental.com to register to get a solar system without large upfront charges, or to buy.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  2. 2. jh443 02:14 PM 9/25/08

    These are non-issue matters. This country is going down the tubes and it has absolutely nothing to do with global warming. As long as the American public refuses to address the issues that are tearing apart our economy, things will only continue to get worse.

    Here's a hint: We can stop worrying about how much carbon dioxide we're putting into the air. We'll soon be so poor that we won't be able to afford cars or even electricity for that matter. Our per capita carbon footprint will match that of third world nations because we will BE a third world nation!

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  3. 3. jack 07:01 AM 9/26/08

    new energy is very important

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  4. 4. kwhitemd in reply to jh443 01:35 PM 9/27/08

    Man, you are right on in reference to being distracted from the most serious issues at hand. You have the media to blame for this; part of the "doom and gloom" policy.

    I work for a company that has a solution to our energy crisis. If this is not at the top of our priorities list, there will be no economy here. Becoming a third world nation as a result is assured and may be actually getting off lightly.

    I disagree with the theory that humankind CREATED global warming. Has he/she contributed to it, yes. Sarah Palin has asserted this.

    Focus America.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  5. 5. big brother 10:50 AM 9/29/08

    All of a sudden, $150 billion, over 10 years, seeems like a real piker. If we can spend more, constructively, we should do it!

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  6. 6. cshav10 02:24 PM 10/3/08

    The bigger concern is that both the candidates agree on "Clean Coal" as part of their energy program. Clean coal is a myth. There is no known process to scrub the greenhouse gases in a coal-based energy plant. When both the parties agree on something like this beware. The planet and it's citizens are about to get hosed.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  7. 7. synesthesia00 06:52 PM 10/3/08

    I work in the renewable resources industry. I also live where they want to drill for more oil. Can we just not say that word anymore. I hope the LHC will fix everything. I dont even know what that even means.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  8. 8. Susan K 10:14 PM 10/4/08

    McCain voted for the first time for renewable energy on Friday. Only because it was attached to the bailout bill. He previously voted with identical votes to Inhofe on 42 out of 44 votes, against clean reneweables like solar, wind, geothermal and ocean and high tech funding like for algae, a total of 50 times.

    'Mcain's 50 Votes Against Clean Energy' includes all of the links to the Senate roll-call votes for each one so you can verify these votes.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  9. 9. Susan K 10:17 PM 10/4/08

    "Wild card:
    Although McCain has a strong record with regard to global warming, "

    Unfortunately, McCain has successfully created media buzz, even here, that he is pro clean renewables. The record is the exact opposite.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  10. 10. wilbongo 09:28 AM 10/16/08

    Drill baby drill... urgh.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  11. 11. Ediot in reply to Eye144 02:54 PM 10/20/08

    Has CitizenRE actually performed any installations other than the photo op for Ed Begley's show? Last I heard they were supposed to have their manufacturing plant up and running by September, 2007. A recent query to their PR person revealed that, despite assurance by a sales rep at a local home show, they in fact did not have any plants up and running yet, and had not performed a single installation. Many have labeled this a pyramid scheme, and without substantiation in the form of testimonials (the site boasts more than 33,000 commitments), I'm inclined to believe the worst at this point.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  12. 12. RGG 08:36 PM 10/20/08

    Politics are the same on both (any) side of the border; lots of hot air but no teeth (read money/penalties) when it comes to real action after being elected. Whoever wins the race in the U.S. will face the same issues that exist today, and it is unlikely that either candidate will put the environment of tomorrow ahead of food (money/fat profits) on the table today.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  13. 13. 2008RealityCheck 06:23 PM 9/2/09

    Obama blocks drilling offshore US, then commits up to $10 billion of taxpayer money to help Brazil drill the offshore Tupi oil field. And China has signed a deal to get much of that non-Middle East oil.

    We could really use the hundreds of thousands of union oil industry jobs here in the US, and the $ trillions of oil income wouldn't hurt either.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  14. 14. PresidentDon 11:57 PM 9/20/09

    And the oil from Alaska is sold to Japan? Not in my back yard complainers, should have all the gas stations in their area closed. Everything comes from somebody's yard.
    Why do I keep getting the feelings that America is last. Sold to the lowest bidder, with poverty for all to come in 2010.
    51% voted for Change, well Change you got, change is all you'll have in your pocket if we do not Revolt, Re Vote now.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  15. 15. PresidentDon 01:00 AM 9/21/09

    And the oil from Alaska is sold to Japan? Not in my back yard complainers, should have all the gas stations in their area closed. Everything comes from somebody's yard.
    Why do I keep getting the feelings that America is last. Sold to the lowest bidder, with poverty for all to come in 2010.
    51% voted for Change, well Change you got, change is all you'll have in your pocket if we do not Revolt, Re Vote now.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
Leave this field empty

Add a Comment

You must sign in or register as a ScientificAmerican.com member to submit a comment.
Click one of the buttons below to register using an existing Social Account.

More from Scientific American

See what we're tweeting about

Scientific American Editors

Tweets could not be retrieved at this time

Free Newsletters


Get the best from Scientific American in your inbox

Solve Innovation Challenges

Powered By: Innocentive

  SA Digital
  SA Digital

Email this Article

Where Do the Presidential Candidates Stand on Environment and Energy?

X
Scientific American MIND iPad

Tap into your MIND

Get Both Print & Tablet Editions for one low price!

Subscribe Now >>

X

Please Log In

Forgot: Password

X

Account Linking

Welcome, . Do you have an existing ScientificAmerican.com account?

Yes, please link my existing account with for quick, secure access.



Forgot Password?

No, I would like to create a new account with my profile information.

Create Account
X

Report Abuse

Are you sure?

X

Institutional Access

It has been identified that the institution you are trying to access this article from has institutional site license access to Scientific American on nature.com. To access this article in its entirety through site license access, click below.

Site license access
X

Error

X

Share this Article

X