Environmental Defense Praises Lieberman / McCain Climate Effort

Environmental Defense today praised Senator Joseph Lieberman (D - Connectictut) and Senator John McCain (R - Arizona) for their call for U.S. leadership on global climate change. The Senators called for a comprehensive cap on America’s greenhouse gas emissions, paired with an allowance trading system to encourage innovation across the full range of opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas pollution and enhancing the uptake of carbon by soils, crops, and trees.

“Today’s bipartisan statement on climate change signals more forward progress in bringing greenhouse gas pollution under control,” said Environmental Defense executive director Fred Krupp. “Senator McCain and Lieberman’s call for a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas pollution takes on the problem of global warming in a strong and sensible way. Everyone knows that a diet is only successful if you take the weight off and keep it off. The Lieberman/McCain statement uses that same common sense approach. It will cut pollution and keep pollution from building up in the future.”

“This bipartisan action should demonstrate clearly that economically and environmentally sound approaches to the problem of global warming are available and politically viable. It’s time to end growing U.S. isolationism on climate change and put America’s ingenuity and market power to work against the premier environmental threat of the 21st century,” said Krupp.

“The agreement reached in Bonn on climate change shows there is going to be a world marketplace in carbon reductions and new technologies that will reward improvements in energy efficiency, advances in energy technologies, and improvements in land-use practices,” said Krupp. “It’s vital that American economic and environmental interests be a part of these new business opportunities. The Lieberman / McCain proposal shows how.”