Former Senator John Edwards has released a comprehensive plan to address global warming and our energy challenges, which includes a mandatory cap-and-trade program to cut greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of clean, renewable energy sources. In fact, Sen. Edwards was the first presidential candidate of the 2008 election cycle to propose a plan to address the climate crisis,¹ describing the issue as “one of the great moral imperatives of our time.”² On the campaign trail, Sen. Edwards notes that American workers should be building the most fuel efficient cars in the world.³ In addition, when talking about climate change, Sen. Edwards has called on Americans to be patriotic about something other than war. For example, he would encourage youth to be part of the global warming solution by forming a GreenCorps division of AmeriCorps.⁴

Sen. Edwards supports a ban on new coal plants unless they capture and store carbon emissions⁵ and he opposes subsidies for liquid coal.⁶ He opposes subsidies for new nuclear power plants until waste can be stored safely.⁷

During his term in the Senate, Sen. Edwards established a solid record on environmental issues. Most notably, Sen. Edwards spearheaded the Senate battle against some of the Bush administration’s efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act.⁸

In his own words

Edwards’s first 100 days priorities on energy and global warming:

“One of this Administration’s biggest mistakes after September 11th was ignoring the country’s will to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. I will seize the opportunity of my fi rst 100 days as president to send legislation to Congress that enacts my agenda to halt global warming and achieve energy independence. I believe that the United States must pass legislation capping the emissions of greenhouse gases as quickly as possible. I will submit a budget that doubles the Department of Energy’s research budget for development of clean energies and makes the renewable energy tax credit permanent. At the same time, I will issue an executive order to reduce the federal government’s use of energy and make the White House carbon neutral. Finally, I will begin discussions with other world leaders to enact a new global climate change treaty.”⁹

On other key environmental issues, Sen. Edwards:

Supports reinstating the Superfund “polluter pays” program
Supports protecting water resources (including intermittent streams and isolated wetlands)
Supports permanently protecting and preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Supports the reinstatement of 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule
Supports requirements of compliance with existing environmental laws in trade agreements