Hope for Carbon Independence

In last month's Green Issue of Vanity Fair, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. contributed a hopeful article about reducing our carbon dependence - The Next President's First Task.

In it he explains how our carbon dependence is harming our economy, among other things. He says how when other countries "decarbonize," their economies improve greatly:

We know that nations that “decarbonize” their economies reap immediate rewards. Sweden announced in 2006 the phaseout of all fossil fuels (and nuclear energy) by 2020. In 1991 the Swedes enacted a carbon tax—now up to $150 a ton—and as a result thousands of entrepreneurs rushed to develop new ways of generating energy from wind, the sun, and the tides, and from woodchips, agricultural waste, and garbage. Growth rates climbed to upwards of three times those of the U.S.

He lists the obstacles to America's own decarbonization, but suggests a plan of action, the first step of which is:

A carbon cap-and-trade system designed to put downward pressure on carbon emissions is quite simply a no-brainer. Already endorsed by Senators McCain, Clinton, and Obama, such a system would measure national carbon emissions and create a market to auction emissions credits. The supply of credits is then reduced each year to meet pre-determined carbon-reduction targets. As supply tightens, credit value increases, providing rich monetary rewards for innovators who reduce carbon. Since it is precisely targeted, cap-and-trade is more effective than a carbon tax.

He goes on to explain how the energy grids need to be rebuilt and opened up to green energy competition.

The cost?:

Construction of efficient and open-transmission marketplaces and green-power-plant infrastructure would require about a trillion dollars over the next 15 years. For roughly a third of the projected cost of the Iraq war we could wean the country from carbon. And the good news is that the government doesn’t actually have to pay for all of this.

I thought this short article was a positive look at our future and gave ideas to check on when the next president takes office.