Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
President's plan is accompanied by a White House ―infographic‖ covering
extreme weather events, U.S. GHG emissions, and elements of the President's
plan.
4
Members of Congress continue to be divided in their views on whether
climate change risks merit raising current costs to the economy in exchange
for benefits that would mostly accrue to future generations, people in other
countries, and stability of Earth systems. The prospect of continued
congressional divisions in part has prompted the President's use of existing
Executive Branch authorities.
P
LEDGED
A
CTIONS AND
T
IMING
The President affirmed his commitment to his 2009 policy pledge to
reduce U.S. GHG emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 if all other
major economies agreed to limit their emissions as well.
5
In 2011, the United
States' gross GHG emissions
6
were approximately 7% below their 2005
levels.
7
One study estimated in late 2012 that the United States is on a path to
reduce its emissions to 16% below 2005 levels in 2020, under current policies
including effects of the New Source Performance Standards for CO
2
emissions
from power plants that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed
in 2012 (more below).
8
The researchers cite assumptions about promulgated
and proposed standards, trends in the relative prices of coal and natural gas,
and state and local GHG mitigation programs as main drivers of the projected
reductions.
To fill the gap between the President's pledge and the current emissions
trajectory, President Obama identified a series of actions to abate GHG
emissions and to facilitate resilience to the effects of climate change. These are
outlined below in three broad categories from the President's plan, which
describes his three ―pillars‖ as
1.
Cut carbon pollution in America
2.
Prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change
3.
Lead international efforts to combat global climate change and
prepare for its impacts.
This summary emphasizes the incremental additions in the plan
announced June 25, 2013, beyond programs and other Executive Branch
actions already underway. Few of the listed measures specify the timing of
