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  Kammen's comments on McCain in Newsweek

  Brad Johnson raises an important, in fact central, issue about energy, climate and politics: namely that good rhetoric is simply insufficient, we are well past the point where we personally, and our elected officials must 'walk the walk'.

  In California, for example, we have climate policies on the books that call for a ~ 25% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (AB32), and 80% reductions by 2050 (Executive Order 3-05).  These are great words, and the politicians who penned them are truly to be commended, but we must make good on these targets.

  The first step for action is having a plan, and in this respect I give California, the northeast/mid-Atlantic climate climate coalition, and the exciting, emerging, plan for the upper-Midwest.

  This is where I have to disagree with Brad.

  There is no doubt that McCain's 'green credentials' can be questioned.  Nevertheless,
  he has shown a willingness to talk about and
  even work on significant (even if insufficient) legislation.  As a result, I can't disagree more with the comment:

      * Like Bush, McCain's global warming talk is good -- both speaking in generalities about needing to be "good stewards" and get "serious" about climate change.

  There has been absolutely no useful language from President Bush on this topic.  His international 'forum' on climate is even termed, within the administration, the 'dirty dozen' (well, dirty
  11, with Australia defecting).

  So, no question, Brad is right that McCain has both been vague and has not gone as far as is needed.  He is, however, part of a conversation that is far more enlightened that we have seen in federal office in recent times.  That is a start.

  Dan Kammen Professor, Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley

  On McCain is closer to Bush than to the Democrats posted 1 year, 7 months ago 6 Responses