Environmental Defense Praises Bipartisan Plan for Senate Action on Climate

(Washington – June 27, 2007) Environmental Defense today applauded Senators Joe Lieberman and John Warner for their groundbreaking commitment to act quickly on legislation that puts a firm cap on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, a move that opens the door for Senate passage of a consensus climate change bill this year.

“This helps put the Senate right where it needs to be – on track with the mainstream of Americans and U.S. business leaders calling for action,” said Environmental Defense President Fred Krupp.

Steve Cochran, national climate campaign director at Environmental Defense , said, “This is huge. Joe Lieberman and John Warner are clearing the path for a bill that protects the climate and strengthens the economy, and that’s the kind of plan both sides of the aisle can support.”

The two senators today said they intend to draft new legislation to cut global warming pollution through an economy-wide cap and trade system that guarantees emissions reductions and encourages U.S. innovation to find the best and least-cost ways to achieve them.

Lieberman and Warner said they hope to bring the bill to their subcommittee for a vote before the August congressional recess, a schedule that puts Congress on the path to passing a bill this year.

“We need to get on the path to emissions reductions now – not in the next Congress or the next administration. Joe Lieberman and John Warner deserve real credit for their commitment to quick and meaningful action, and we look forward to working with them on a bill that gets us where the science says we need to be,” Krupp said.

Most scientific experts say the U.S. needs to reduce emissions 80 percent below current levels to help avert the worst consequences of climate change. Environmental Defense and the other members of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which includes market-leading companies like GE, DuPont, Caterpillar, and GM, are calling on this Congress to pass legislation that spurs deep emissions reductions and private-sector investment in clean technologies through a cap and trade system.

Lieberman and Warner are the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s subcommittee on private sector and consumer solutions to global warming and wildlife protection.