The Western Climate Initiative (WCI) today unveiled their proposed
design for a regional cap and trade program to spur reductions in
carbon emissions that cause global warming. The regional agreement is
a significant advancement for establishing
science-based action on global warming. Unfortunately, the proposed
design contains flawed elements that must be resolved in order to help
families with rising energy costs and to drive investments in clean
technologies.
"The WCI is an important step forward for cutting pollution and
fossil fuel dependence, but the proposed design includes major flaws
that must be fixed," said Environment New Mexico advocate Lauren
Ketcham.
The most significant design defects are:
* Failing to commit to making polluters pay for their pollution
permits, and using the proceeds to help families with energy bills and
invest in conservation and clean energy;
* Allowing polluters to buy offsets for the majority of pollution
reductions, which means that energy companies could pay for projects
such as tree-planting in a foreign country instead of energy
conservation or better transit in New Mexico.
In addition, the decision to avoid bringing oil companies into the
program until 2015 delays the time when the program starts offering
better transportation choices to New Mexicans who are looking for ways
to drive less and reduce gas consumption.
"The final plan needs to prevent billions of dollars in giveaways
to oil and power companies, and it needs to make sure big polluters are
not allowed to outsource clean energy investments that should be
happening in New Mexico," said Ketcham.
The WCI partners are holding a major stakeholder workshop in San
Diego on Tuesday, July 29th before crafting final design
recommendations for release in September. The WCI was established
in
2007 by the governors of California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and
New Mexico. Since then the states of Utah and Montana and the
Canadian
provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec have joined
the initiative.
"We encourage Governor Richardson to continue his leadership in
fostering strong, meaningful action on global warming and ensuring New
Mexico is leading the transition to a new energy future," concluded
Ketcham.
wci-july23-draft-design.pdf