Climate Change Conference: From Kyoto to Copenhagen

Paul has spent the last 15 years monitoring and collecting legislative materials from Congress. He is the editor for the Roll Call Briefing Rooms, covering Congressional health, energy and environment and budget and appropriations topics.  Prior to this, Paul developed new mechanisms for users to retrieve and understand Congressional materials. Paul began is online career with Lexis-Nexis in Washington, DC, in 1989.

Welcome to our event live blog

Welcome to our event live blog

• Paul Jenks: Welcome
• Paul Jenks:

   

  10:30 a.m. — Roundtable session is complete.

  Thanks for reading!

   

  10:28 a.m. — Question: China--can they agree and reduce emissions?

  Levi - skeptical about China's ability to follow through.

   

  10:25 a.m. — Question - Do we need legislation to be credible in Copehagen? Helme - not critical but movement is nice. Levi - Eventually it needs to pass.

   

  10:20 a.m. — Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) manufacturing investment proposals - Simon said Senate ENR will consider.

  Question - Will Senate ENR energy-only bill with renewable standards pass? Simon said majority wants to do every thing all at once. Would be surprised if elements are broken off.

   

  10:15 a.m. — Question - regionalism impact on debate.

  Fox dismissed regions, people do not think of regions but places - Regionalism is a DC construct. Simon noted that Senators have a larger regional perspective - they are elected state-wide.

   

  10:05 a.m. — Question about verification of actions (particularly China) - Helme is positive. Levi called for better monitoring. Simon - thought question was based upon lost U.S. satellite capability. Simon pushed for satellites. Fox wants improved satellites too.

  Question - Why not carbon tax?

  Simon says that high cost does not always mean you get less of it. Tipping point may be higher than you think. Also said a whole tax code debate would ensue and the experience in the 1990s on the BTU tax still has scars in Congress.

  Levi says carbon tax is just as complicated. Also cap and trade mimics carbon tax.

   

  10:00 a.m. — Audience question - offset market without Kyoto II.

  Helme -there will be offsets.

  Question - Cap and Dividend approach (See Sen Maria Cantwell D-Wash. proposal) - Levi, yes short-term it is important to spread money out. Simon spoke about recycling money from allocations to poor...suggested you go to Senate ENR hearing tomorrow.

   

  9:45 a.m. — Prospects for a bill?

  Simon said some things can get done in highly politically charged environment.

  Fox was optimistic (no timeframe given) despite negative press people. Suggested Senate be in session during Copenhagen.

  Helme compared to the 1990s Clean Air Act amendments. Thinks something could be done in first year(s) of new administration.

  Levi -may not be done before but possible immediately after Copenhagen. Europeans can not sustain things unless U.S. does something.

   

  9:40 a.m. — Simon spoke about nuclear. Said problems with nuclear stem from recent electric deregulation and upfront costs.

  Fox agreed but said renewable have similar upfront cost problems.

  Helme and Levi concurred about nuclear. Levi stressed need to do something about reprocessing nuclear waste. Levi (CFR) has a background on nuclear security.

  Simon spoke on nuclear reprocessing technical issues.

   

  9:25 a.m. — Fox says public is ready for climate change action and thinks people know that green jobs will be created.

  Fox noted polling on actual solutions on climate have held steady vs. polling on health care details.

  Simon thinks public perception has changed "somewhat."

  Helme sees shift in perception of lawmakers.

  Levi noted differences between climate change and energy security is difficult gap to "square."

   

  9:10 a.m. — Simon (Committee staff) likes constructive engagement of Obama administration. He hits previous unilateral stance of U.S. Noted his committee's passage of energy-only measure (S. 1462) as a positive step.

  Simon notes that some issues and concerns really are not partisan but regional.  Also state of the economy could be problem plus any difficulties with health reform.

  The same people needed for climate are busy with health reform.

   

  9:00 a.m. — Levi talks about structure of a new international agreement as different from Kyoto. No agreement yet between developed and developing countries and financing.

  Helme agreed with Levi. Cautioned that public haggling masks behind the scenes agreements. Noted Europeans also need to bring money to the table to help developing world.

  Helme says we are headed toward --fingers being pointed at U.S.-- if Copenhagen fails.

  Levi says Europeans may be in a bind if they talk too tough.

  Fox intriqued by comment - "We are prisoners of our expectations."  Thinks this is true for Copenhagen.

   

  8:50 a.m. — David Sandalow is travelling and not present.

   

  8:50 a.m. — Cardin's remarks and questions are complete. Rountable begins.

   

  8:40 a.m. — Cardin supports on-site nuclear waste disposal...Yucca not mentioned.

  He doesn't think a treaty violates U.S. sovereignty.

  Also, Hydro-electric "is in the mix." He stressed that a new electric grid is important.

  Final question about contituent response on climate. He thinks public concern on jobs and cost is significant. He says Senators need to answer the jobs and cost issue.

  The bill will not be as difficult as health care reform.

   

  8:30 a.m. — Cardin touts that legislation should include nuclear and clean coal. He is encouraged by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) approval of the legislative concepts of Boxer-Kerry. 

  Cardin was optimistic about Copenhagen but didn't stress the timing...that a bill in Congress will pass beforehand.

  He was questioned about this. Thinks some Senate action is necessary beforehand.

  He is looking for 67 votes...a treaty will need 67 votes for approval.

   

  8:20 a.m. — Cardin stresses deficit neutrality of the Boxer-Kerry bill. Also the necessity to have developing countries on-board with a new treaty.

  He also addresses border adjustments in the House Waxman-Markey measure. He thinks a border adjustment regime should exist under Copenhagen agreement--not WTO.

   

  8:10 a.m. — Cardin strongly endorses the Boxer-Kerry measure. He makes a special note about Green transportation initiatives in the measure. Cardin previously pushed public transit in the Warner-Lieberman measure that failed the Senate last year.

   

  8:00 a.m. — CQ-Roll Call's Briefing Room has moved to the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center this morning and will post live updates from the CQ-Roll Call Group's Climate Change Conference 2009: From Kyoto to Copenhagen (view agenda). After remarks from CQ-Roll Call Group Editorial Director Mike Mills, Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) will deliver the keynote address. Cardin is chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife.

   

  Afterward, the following panelists will take questions from CQ's John Dineen and the audience:

  • Maggie L. Fox, president, Alliance for Climate Protection
  • Ned Helme, president, Center for Clean Air Policy
  • Michael A. Levi, senior fellow and director, Council on Foreign Relations
  • David Sandalow, assistant secretary for Policy and International Affairs, Department of Energy
  • Dr. Robert Simon, staff director, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee