Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

There are many routes to reducing greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, primarily carbon dioxide [CO2], which is having such a powerful effect on our warming climate. One, the Clean Power Plan, is being withdrawn by our current administration, unfortunately, in an attempt to revive the coal industry. Even though the “Plan” is in part mandated by the congressionally approved Clean Air Act, and meant to fulfill a later Supreme Court ruling, Scott Pruitt, EPA Commissioner, announced plans to withdraw it. He has recently stated that at some point in the future a new alternative rule will be proposed. However, one effort, started in 2009 that has been successful, is called RGGI. This abbreviation means Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. There are nine Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states participating in this cap and trade program to reduce CO2 emissions. The latest quarterly auction took place December 6, 2017. The intent of these auctions is for electric power companies to bid on “allowances to pollute” and these allowances are capped and then reduced by 2.5% per year giving companies time to do what is best and achievable by them to reduce their CO2 emissions. The cap for 2017 is 84.3 million tons of CO2. The 14,687,989 allowances were sold at auction for $3.80 per allowance, and the $55.8 million in proceeds is to be used for energy efficiency programs, renewable energy, and other GHG abatement programs. The cumulative proceeds for all 38 CO2 allowance auctions are in excess of $2.8 billion. The stated goal is to have cleaner and more efficient energy, improve public health, reduce electricity bills and create jobs, per Jared Snyder Deputy Commissioner, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Vice Chair of RGGI. A nationwide program would be best for the planet but ....

Raymond Johnson
Chazy
12/12/17

Last changed: Jan 01 2018 at 7:07 AM