Early Friday evening, the House narrowly passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), a monumental — and mammoth — piece of legislation (PDF) that, among other things, aims to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Reactions to the bill’s passage have been varied. Republicans, by and large, have been critical of the bill’s perceived cost and complexity. As to be expected, Democrats have been broadly supportive. Greenpeace has outright deemed it a failure, aruging that the cap-and-trade scheme envisaged doesn’t go far enough in restricting emissions over the short term. Other environmental organizations have been notably more positive, with the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council calling the bill’s passage a “dramatic breakthrough for America’s future.” Meanwhile, President Obama Administration has welcomed the 219-212 vote in favor of ACES:
I think this was an extraordinary first step. You know, if you had asked people six months ago — or six weeks ago, for that matter — whether we could get a energy bill with the scope of the one that we saw on Friday through the House, people would have told you, no way. You look at the constituent parts of this bill — not only a framework for cap and trade, but huge significant steps on energy efficiency, a renewable energy standard, huge incentives for research and development in new technologies, incentives for electric cars, incentives for nuclear energy, clean coal technology. This really is an unprecedented step and a comprehensive approach.
In addition to expressing his support for Friday’s vote, Obama was quick to downplay the bill’s provisions for establishing carbon tariffs, in a bid to allay concerns over U.S. protectionism. The Administration also honed in on the Senate, which is set to take up the legislation later this year — and where much stiffer conditions for passage are expected.
In the end, the problem with politcs — or, more accurately, policy making — is that it’s a messy, imperfect process. Regardless of whether you think the House bill goes too far, or doesn’t go far enough, the fact remains that something resembling a nationwide energy/climate policy has passed the first hurdle (albeit narrowly). I’ll be the last person to suggest that ACES is flawless. But impeccable policies — especially nationwide ones — are rare. Let’s at least celebrate the fact that our leaders in Washington care enough about our future generations to engage the carbon/climate policy debate. And let’s be confident that, regardless of the pitfalls that will invevitably arise when it comes to implementation of the bill’s final version, our economy — our workers, our knack for ingenuity, and our appreciation for smart solutions — will rise to the occasion.
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