Waxman and Markey Answer Questions on American Clean Energy and Security Bill [Podcast]

Waxman Markey 1.mp3

1Sky, Energy Action Coalition, Green for All and the US Climate Action Network co-sponsored a call with Representative Henry Waxman, the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Representative Ed Markey, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, and their staff, for a briefing along with a question and answer on the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) bill.

Gillian Caldwell of 1Sky moderated the call without pulling any punches. There were questions regarding the gamble on carbon capture and sequestration, concerns over removing EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gases, renewable energy standards and a question from Bill McKibben at 350.org asking about the plan moving forward to close the gap between the bills emissions goals and those that scientists say we need to stabilize global climate.

The final question was the toughest of the afternoon and there was an awkward pause after it was asked; “Many people are concerned that this bill could inadvertently lock us into a high carbon path for the next six years just when the Potsdam Institute and 20 Nobel Prize winning scientists released a report in May saying emissions must peak in six years if we are to avoid 2 degrees Celsius. If the bill doesn’t start functioning until 2012 at the earliest what confidence can we have that we will reduce our net carbon emissions enough to make sure that we peak when we must?”

Click on the podcast to listen to the call in its entirety.