NI Director Calls Climate Framework "Last, Best Chance for a More Complete Solution"

December 10, 2009

Contact: Jessica Sheffield, jessica.sheffield@duke.edu, 919-613-8731

Today, the Senate's new climate leadership troika unveiled their new framework for legislation. Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Lieberman cover the most significant and consequential issues remaining for they and their colleagues to consider before voting on legislation.

Consensus on these issues has been elusive and the framework is written to invite their colleagues into discussion on how to address issues such as:

* Build a robust and safe carbon market

* Contain any costs to business and consumers

* Keep U.S. manufacturing strong

* Insure U.S. leadership in innovation and clean-energy markets

* Encourage  domestic energy production

Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, an architect of climate policy as long as the Senate has considered it, welcomes this critical announcement at a critical time:

"The U.S. will create climate policy either as a patchwork of EPA and state actions, or by comprehensive legislation that is in harmony with a global approach. Today's announcement by Sens. Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman is the 'last, best chance' for a more complete solution. Their framework outlines the latent consensus that has been ready for harvest for the past few years. For those interested in a sound, strategic solution, Kerry, Graham and Lieberman have laid out the most likely path to a bill. It will remain to be seen whether their colleagues choose to follow it."

 

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