Senate Democrats kill climate bill with division, indecision
The wide-ranging climate legislation that would have put a price on carbon and establish an emissions cap-and-trade system came to an inglorious end today as Senate Democrats conceded that they simply don’t have enough votes to pass such a bill. This is a big loss for President Barack Obama, who campaigned on the issue. The bill’s supporters were aiming for a 17 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. But these figures never gained momentum in the U.S. and failed to impress at last year’s United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen , Denmark, where they were viewed as weak and unambitious. As a result, the Democrats are putting together a watered-down version of the bill that has a greater chance of winning support. Instead of tackling greenhouse gas emissions, the new legislation would increase potential damages for oil companies following spills and would provide more incentives for the development and purchase of natural gas vehicles and energy efficiency products and services.
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Senate Democrats kill climate bill with division, indecision