Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
FY2014. To promote adaptation to climate change by the federal
government and states and localities, the Climate Action Plan includes
mostly a continuation of existing programs.
Additionally, a set of existing international initiatives were included
in the President's announcement to promote global reductions of GHG
emissions and adaptation. New in the President's announcement is a call
to end U.S. support for public financing of new coal-fired power plants
overseas except for those employing advanced efficiency or carbon
capture and sequestration technology. Notably, the plan provided no
quantification of whether the United States would meet its commitment
to reduce GHG emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020 or whether
or how the United States would work towards its share of a 2009
international pledge of $100 billion annually to assist developing
countries to mitigate their GHG emissions and adapt to climate change.
P
RESIDENTIAL
A
NNOUNCEMENT
On June 25, 2013, President Obama announced a national plan to reduce
emissions of carbon dioxide (CO
2
) and other greenhouse gases (GHG), as well
as to encourage adaptation to expected climate change.
1
The President stated a
willingness to work with Congress on a bipartisan, market-based scheme to
reduce GHG emissions. However, the President had earlier stipulated that the
set of actions he announced would not require Congressional approval. This
announcement followed up on his vow in the 2013 State of the Union Address:
I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to
climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on
together a few years ago. But if Congress won't act soon to protect future
generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive
actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare
our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the
transition to more sustainable sources of energy.
2
The President had been under increasing pressure from environmental
allies to exercise greater leadership on the climate change issue, after the
Congress did not enact ―Waxman-Markey‖ (H.R. 2454 in 2009) or other
comprehensive bills to reduce GHG emissions. Also, some states and non-
governmental organizations gave notice that they would file suit when the
Environmental Protection Agency proposed but did not finalize greenhouse
gas (GHG) emission standards for new power plants by April 2013.
3
The
