Congress is debating whether a carbon cap-and-trade program would kill jobs or save money in the long run. (Photo courtesy of aoc.gov)
Congress will be considering an energy and climate bill. Lester Graham reports the legislation would shift the American economy from reliance on fossil fuels to greater reliance on renewable energy and energy efficiency:
Transcript
Congress will be considering an energy and climate bill. Lester Graham reports the legislation would shift the American economy from reliance on fossil fuels to greater reliance on renewable energy and energy efficiency:
The fight over what –if anything– should be done about climate change will center on this legislation.
Coal companies, big oil –and industries that use a lot of energy say this is a jobs killer and our energy bills will go through the roof.
Environmental groups and green businesses say ‘no, actually this will create jobs in a new green economy and in the long run our energy bills will be lower.’
A carbon cap-and-trade scheme included in the package would limit greenhouse gas emissions and put a price on them. Those against it call it cap-and-tax.
Liz Perera is with the environmental group the Union of Concerned Scientists. She says doing nothing about climate change would cost more.
“That’s definitely the most expensive thing we can do: just ignore this and then suffer these consequences of global warming.”
Those consequences are uncertain and will be among the many arguments we’ll hear in Washington this summer.
For The Environment Report, I’m Lester Graham.