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U.S.A. on Global Warming and Energy Independence
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed on August 8, 2005 and to keep it short, the main focus was on reducing U.S. dependency on foreign energy sources. There is also a section, best called, “lead by example”. In that section, the U.S. Government, the largest user of energy, states they will lead by example and improve their energy efficiency. To date, there hasn't been much or any news, on what they have done to improve their energy efficiency and how well they are doing.
The U.S. withdrew from signing the Kyoto Protocol in late March 2001, almost immediately after the U.S. Government stated, they would not, require industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. At that time, they thought requiring industries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would hurt them financially, and they wanted more research done about the causes of Global Warming.
On September 27-28 2007, the United States hosted a Summit, that it called a “Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change”. This Summit was to address what steps need to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The United States said that by the end of 2008, they will have a comprehensive plan to address Global Warming after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
The United States never signed on to the Kyoto Protocol so why wait until it expires in 5 years before taking proactive action? What ever happened to Lead by Example?
The United States Federal Governments says they will not take a more aggressive stance against greenhouse gas emissions until the developing countries have to take part. The oil industry says they will not take a broader stance against greenhouse gas emissions unless we safeguard developing countries from having to do their part and the government regulations are in place. So what exactly is their position on addressing Global Warming?
Here is a Q&A where the answers have me confused. There is not enough time to delve deeper into this, so when you have a few minutes, read through it, then do some research and you will understand the confusion the answers create. WhiteHouse.gov
Inconsistency Breeds Inactivity
The U.S. Federal Government has put some support behind the 2007 Energy Act proposal that will raise the CAFÉ standards on both American cars and trucks to 35 MPG by 2020. Japan’s standard is 46 MPG and Europe’s is 44 MPG. If the Automakers have met these much higher standards in other countries, today, then why do Americans have to wait 13 years for a less stringent policy?
In April 2008 the United States Government sent out a mandate to automobile manufactures that their vehicle fleet must average 31.6 MPG by 2012. Who are these small incremental steps helping? The big American car manufactures might get upset at this mandate but all they should do is look at their sales number and they will see Americans want more fuel efficient automobiles. U.S. manufactures are losing sales and foreign automobile manufactures have ever increasing sales.
To U.S. car manufactures: Higher Fuel efficient automobiles sales are ever increasing, so either take the initiative, produce higher mileage automobiles are continue to lose and ever increasing market-share.
Currently, the U. S. Federal Government believes the way to addressing Global Warming is to allow the Industries with the most exposure to the issue (Oil, Coal and Gas) come up with solutions. On the surface that may seem like a good plan, less regulations and smaller Government is a good approach, but those industries are taking a the opposite approach. Those Industries want the Government to make regulations and govern the Global Warming issue.
Either this is one of the first times an Industry is calling for more Government Regulations, or it’s a well thought out tactic in which those industries, using their lobbyists, know that the regulations will never see the light of day. Past actions, predict future actions, so just by looking back in History, their true motives materialize.
There is a lot of Political talk about the United States becoming Energy Independent but really no action. Do they not have a comprehensive plan to break our addiction to foreign oil, or is it something more ominous?
Currently, politics is playing a bigger role in addressing Global Warming and Energy Independence then there needs to be. Therefore, we need to remember the past, work diligently in the present and take back our future. It is time to lead by example.
We all have to work together and start to aggressively address Global Warming and Energy Independence, NOW.
Are you ready to Lead By Example?