Democrats

Barack Obama

• Calls for cutting carbon dioxide emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Would accomplish this through a cap-and-trade system that would auction off 100% of emissions permits, making polluters pay for the carbon dioxide they emit.

• Calls for 25% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025, and for 30% of the federal government’s electricity to come from renewables by 2020.

• Proposes investing $150 billion over 10 years in research and development for renewables, biofuels, efficiency, “clean coal” and other clean technology.

• Calls for reducing oil consumption by at least 35% or 10 million barrels a day by 2030.

• Supports the elimination of incandescent light bulbs by 2014.

Hillary Clinton

• Calls for cutting carbon dioxide emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Would accomplish this through a cap-and-trade system that would auction off 100% of emissions permits, making polluters pay for the carbon dioxide they emit.

• Emphasizes the creation of “green-collar jobs” in the fields of clean energy and energy efficiency. Has stated she wants to create up to 5 million clean-energy jobs over the next decade.

• Made her campaign carbon-neutral in April 2007, one month after John Edwards did.

• Calls for the US to cut its consumption of foreign oil by two-thirds of projected levels by 2030.

• Supports a goal to get 25% of the electricity supply from renewable sources by 2030.

Republicans

John McCain

• McCain stated global warming would be one of three key issues if he is elected president.

• Supports a cap-and-trade system for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions; opposes a carbon tax.

•Has criticized the Bush administration’s lack of action against climate change.

• Used to criticize ethanol; now supports ethanol, but still opposes government subsidies for it.

• Has opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

• Has been endorsed by Republicans for Environmental Protection for his climate policies

Independents

Ralph Nader

• Supports a carbon tax to make polluting fuels and technology more expensive, but hasn’t released details of his plan.

• Nader stated he wants to eliminate fossil fuels within 20 to 25 years -- coal and oil first, then natural gas.

• Supports raising vehicle fuel-economy standards. In 2000 and 2004, called for increasing standards for cars to 45 miles per gallon and light trucks to 35 mpg, to be eliminated over five years.

• Supports solar, wind, tidal and other sources of renewable power.

• Opposes nuclear power, as well as government subsidies and loan guarantees for the nuclear industry.



Information compiled from www.grist.org