US Senate Puts Environmental Proposal on the Table

John Kerry unveils the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act at a news conference in Washington. Photograph: Hyungwon Kang/ReutersHopeTracler| Senate Democrats rose to the occasion yesterday, taking on the monstrous challenge of moving the giverning body on global warming, unveiling a bill proposing an ambitious 20% cut in greenhosue gas emissions.

Both the foreign press and pundits at home stress that evenn the name of the bill Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act demonstrate the politics of the situation. The dialogue is framed in concepts of American energy independence and reducing oil.

“This is a security bill that puts Americans back in charge of our energy future,” said Kerry. “It is our country’s defence against the harms of pollution and the security risks of global climate change.”

Today’s bill sets out a more ambitious target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions than the 17% cut from 2005 levels by 2020 passed by the House of Representatives in June.

The draft would push for a 20% reduction from 2005 levels by 2020 and an 83% reduction by 2050.

The American proposal resonate with similar goals of other countries. Pundits see it as absolutely necessary that American negotiators arrive in Copenhagen with a clear sense of American commitments that are grounded in political realities at home. via Telegraph UK