The other day, I helped out with a briefing that was cosponsored by the Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends of the Earth and MoveOn.org. The briefing was about ways to improve the Climate Change bill that is currently moving through the House of Representatives that was proposed by Reps. Markey and Waxman. The bill is an attempt to slow and eventually halt climate change. But will it actually do that??? Probably not say many environmental groups.
While it is respectable that the House is working on this issue and is trying to deal with it, many are worried that the current bill is not even close to what is needed. Actually, some enviromentalists and environmental groups are worried that it will be counterproductive.
According to Friends of the Earth, one of the largest and most well-respected environmental organizations, there are many reasons why this bill must be strengthened in order to be effective: It is a missed opportunity to create jobs and strengthen the economy; It doesn't solve the climate crisis; There is not enough market regulation; It weakens the clean air act; There are too many pollution loopholes; It gives pollution permits worth hundreds of billions to polluting industries; and it undermines U.S. global leadership on ending climate change.
In order for this bill to actually create change in the world--in order for it to address the global crisis that affects the poor more than anyone else--this bill must be improved!
-Stephen Donahoe
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