U.S. Climate Policy: Defining the Second Commitment Period

Discussions of climate change have reached a frenzied level in Washington, D.C. The number of bills proposing different ways to address the issue is growing by the week — four bills have been introduced since Jan. 10, and at least three more are rumored to be coming over the next two months.

This frenzy will last for some time. Congress is still months away from crafting a proposal that could win majority support in the House and 60 votes in the Senate. The issues that the House and Senate must resolve are by now familiar: the role of nuclear power, clean coal, alternative fuels and emissions trading in a U.S. energy program and, most importantly, the depth to which the United States will commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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