Full Title: US Energy and Climate Change Policies- Obama's Second Term
Author(s): David Robinson
Publisher(s): The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Publication Date: February 1, 2013
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The prospects for climate change legislation could change if a carbon tax becomes part of a fiscal package. The fiscal debate is the political issue today facing Congress and some Republicans favour a carbon tax as part of a revenue neutral reform – e.g. in return for corporate tax reductions. It is also conceivable that some industries and their political representatives (e.g. from coal states) will favour comprehensive legislation rather than a wide range of different regulatory and legislative initiatives at the state and federal level. Major adverse weather events might also change minds. Otherwise, those who support federal climate change legislation will have to wait at least until the mid term elections and hope for a change in the configuration of the House of Representatives.
The central message is that the Obama Administration can now make the economic case for sustainable energy, but is unable to pass comprehensive climate change legislation without support from special interest groups and from legislators who are ideologically opposed to government intervention and new taxes.