US to unveil ambitious carbon-reduction plan ahead of Paris climate talks

[Americano 31,061]

*Calling it the "biggest, most important step we've ever taken to combat climate change," President Obama said his administration would unveil the final version of a proposal aimed at curbing the amount of carbon pollution put out by power plants.

NPR's Scott Horsley reports that the new regulations are actually tougher than the ones unveiled by the Environmental Protection Agency in a draft proposal in June of 2014.

Two big numbers: The regulations require that power plants cut carbon emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. That number was 30 percent in the draft proposal. The rules also demand that 28 percent of a power plant's generating capacity come from renewable sources such as wind and solar. That number was 22 percent in the proposed rule.

As Scott puts it, these new regulations, which the White House calls America's Clean Power Plan, is the centerpiece of the Obama administration's plan to combat climate change.

"The administration has been pushing other big countries — China, India, Brazil — to take similarly aggressive action in advance of an international summit in Paris later this year," Scott reports.

Of course, this new regulation is already controversial and likely faces a drawn-out legal battle.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/02/428650558/president-obama-to-unveil-tough-proposal-targeting-greenhouse-gases

The US, along with other major countries (Brazil, Japan, China, etc.), have all already unveiled pledges they will bring to climate talks at the UN in December. At that UN conference, many hope the world will finally adopt a long-lasting accord to tackle climate change.

[TiphEret 1,320]

Alright but what is the actual plan?

[Luc 4,776]

Alright but what is the actual plan?

This article describes it better, and also describes the legal challenges this will probably face.

http://www.politico.eu/article/obama-touts-climate-change-rule-emissions-environment-crackdown-monday/

 

Obama is my fave US pres tbh  [:applause:]  if only he had a majority in the parliament he'd be able to do so much more. Hopefully Joe Biden will continue his course.

[DanMonster 185]

Finally some significant action! Let's hope every country in the world can really get together and make future generations proud by taking drastic action on climate change.

[Didymus 34,380]

This is "aggressive"?

[Economy 53,090]

Finally some significant action! Let's hope every country in the world can really get together and make future generations proud by taking drastic action on climate change.

well the US is one of the few developed Nations that still generates most of its electricity by Coal (by far the worst polluter)  

 

so its about dam time  

[Morphine Prince 109,928]

well the US is one of the few developed Nations that still generates most of its electricity by Coal (by far the worst polluter)  

 

so its about dam time  

Lol this. The US is a big hypocrite when it comes to pollution. They like to preach about pollution and climate change to other developing nations but then if you look at us you'll see we aren't doing enough to stop OUR pollution. Happy Obama is taking a more drastic approach. It's about damn time tbh. 

[Economy 53,090]

Lol this. The US is a big hypocrite when it comes to pollution. They like to preach about pollution and climate change to other developing nations but then if you look at us you'll see we aren't doing enough to stop OUR pollution. Happy Obama is taking a more drastic approach. It's about damn time tbh. 

yeah no offence but it is...

 

The US has slammed Canadas oil sands so many times for its environmental impact...

 

But in Canada most of our electricity is from Nuclear and hydro-electricity... And of the fossil fuels we still use most is Natural Gas (produces less CO2 than Crude Oil or Coal)

 

Also our oil sands arent what they used to be. Most of the boiling water used to seperate oil from sand is now recaptured by its steam and reused... Most of the land reclaimed, emmissions per barrel produced are dropping, and our energy industry is required to put a huge amount of money into technological research to reduce imlacts further

 

In the US Fracking companies have less strict environmental standards... And the US generates most of its electricity far dirtier than we do

 

So i dont like it when the US slams Canada on this 1 project that helps our economy so much when over-all the US still fares way worse  

 

If it was Europe criticizing I could take it, theyve done more than anyone else in green investment and have earned the right to criticize those doing less. But i Cant take the criticism from the US  

[Morphine Prince 109,928]

 

In the US Fracking companies have less strict environmental standards... And the US generates most of its electricity far dirtier than we do

 

So i dont like it when the US slams Canada on this 1 project that helps our economy so much when over-all the US still fares way worse  

 

If it was Europe criticizing I could take it, theyve done more than anyone else in green investment and have earned the right to criticize those doing less. But i Cant take the criticism from the US  

Don't even get me started on fracking.... isn't it banned in Europe? 

The US just likes to be the one to make all the rhetoric but it doesn't live up to what it preaches. Hopefully that changes soon. 

[Economy 53,090]

Don't even get me started on fracking.... isn't it banned in Europe? 

The US just likes to be the one to make all the rhetoric but it doesn't live up to what it preaches. Hopefully that changes soon. 

i dont know if its banned in Europe. I know its not banned here...

 

Canada has lots of shale oil too but because so much had gone invested in oil sands and until recently oil sands were cheaper than shale so our companies largely ignored our shale reserves until recently. Most she formations havent even been properly sirveyed yet because only recently it got attention since new technologies caused tables to turn and fracking is now actually cheaper than oil sands extraction

 

in any case, i dont think we need to shut down all these projects. We need oil and i think to just try to shut down every industry thats nit great for the environment isnt realistic. Environmentalists would love to see that but i think some live in fantasy land

 

however more precautions and measures can be taken to reduce impact of such projects... And at the same time take gradual steps to phase out the need for fossil fuels to begin with because you cannot remove the industry as a whole until there is no longer a need for it

[Luc 4,776]

yeah no offence but it is...

 

The US has slammed Canadas oil sands so many times for its environmental impact...

 

But in Canada most of our electricity is from Nuclear and hydro-electricity... And of the fossil fuels we still use most is Natural Gas (produces less CO2 than Crude Oil or Coal)

 

Also our oil sands arent what they used to be. Most of the boiling water used to seperate oil from sand is now recaptured by its steam and reused... Most of the land reclaimed, emmissions per barrel produced are dropping, and our energy industry is required to put a huge amount of money into technological research to reduce imlacts further

 

In the US Fracking companies have less strict environmental standards... And the US generates most of its electricity far dirtier than we do

 

So i dont like it when the US slams Canada on this 1 project that helps our economy so much when over-all the US still fares way worse  

 

If it was Europe criticizing I could take it, theyve done more than anyone else in green investment and have earned the right to criticize those doing less. But i Cant take the criticism from the US  

I disagree. During Obama they did a lot to fight climate change, way more than any European country. They have every right to criticize others after all the good measures they took. These days it's west-Europe that's lacking progress because of the right wing's focus on cuts and more cuts, not allowing any kind of stimulus or tax raises for pollution.

[Economy 53,090]

I disagree. During Obama they did a lot to fight climate change, way more than any European country. They have every right to criticize others after all the good measures they took. These days it's west-Europe that's lacking progress because of the right wing's focus on cuts and more cuts, not allowing any kind of stimulus or tax raises for pollution.

How much has Obama really done?

[ShockPop 7,747]

You know how much coastline America has? Why not have tidal generation on more, and order all new houses are built with solar panels like France has?

[Luc 4,776]

How much has Obama really done?

This article describes the bigger achievements and how much he actually did with quite simple plans

http://www.politico.eu/article/barack-obamas-epic-climate-plan-carbon-emissions-coal-clean-power/

[Economy 53,090]

This article describes the bigger achievements and how much he actually did with quite simple plans

http://www.politico.eu/article/barack-obamas-epic-climate-plan-carbon-emissions-coal-clean-power/

ummm the entire article is only talking about the plan unveiled recently

 

What has he done his entire presidency??? what has the US done??? a 15% reduction in electrical emissions since 2005? thats nothing that out of this world, plenty of Nations did better

 

A plan that just came out which we dont even know for sure if it will be brought online and followed properly (lots of countries make plans they end up backing out of so until action is seen words mean nothing)

 

So my point stands... dont be criticizing other Countries until you have done more than they have