S. 139 - CLIMATE STEWARDSHIP ACT OF 2003

The bill, introduced in the Senate on January 9 2003 by Sen. Lieberman (D-CT) and co-sponsored by Mr. McCain (R-AZ) calls for scientific research into abrupt climate change and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
Cosponsors

Status:

The bill was introduced in January 2003 - referred to the Senate Environment Committee and was discharged by unanimous consent. The bill was considered by the Senate in October 2003 and then referred back to Committee. Lieberman and McCain are expected to attempt to amend the bill onto other legislation that has floor time in 2004.

Provisions:

• Establish a scholarship program and research grants for studying global climate change through observation, analysis, modeling, paleoclimatology, consequences and adaptation.

• Requires research studies by various U.S. government agencies on barriers to the transfer of technologies from federal laboratories, the impact of U.S. ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, the impact of abrupt climate change on US industry and its ability to compete globally.

• Establish a national system, with assistance from appropriate Federal agencies, to track and monitor greenhouse gas emissions in the US.

• Establish a National Greenhouse Gas Database to collect, verify and analyze information on greenhouse gas emission in the US.

• Calls for a report to be submitted by greenhouse gas producers explaining their greenhouse gas emissions for the past year.

• Establish a system of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a market driven approach. Thus, for example, major producers of greenhouse gases would be limited to a certain amount of emissions but allowed to trade "allowances" off with other big producers in the form of credits.

• Allow greenhouse gas producers to take credits form the following year to increase their credit limit for the current year.

• Establish civil penalties for failure to meet emission requirements.

What we do:

Citizens For Global Solutions is actively supporting passage for this bill in the Senate.

There are a number of valid reasons for Citizens For Global Solutions to support this bill. The U.S. is the world's third largest producer per capita of greenhouse gas emissions behind Australia and Canada, producing 20.7 tones per year. Consequently, an attempt to regulate its greenhouse gas emissions would be beneficial not only to the U.S. but also to the world as a whole. Furthermore, the passage of the bill would allow Citizens for Global Solutions to identify certain politicians who support the Climate and Stewardship Act and can be brought on board to offer support on other environmental issues. Citizens For Global Solutions has looked at the 2003 votes as a potential basis to endorse incumbency senators campaigns for 2004.

Visit THOMAS for the Bill Text, Summary and Status