On Thursday, March 19, 2015, President Obama issued an executive order pertaining to new goals for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions of the federal agencies. This new order mandates that federal agencies must cut their emissions by 40% over the next ten years. Moreover, the directive orders that the agencies must increase their usage of renewable resources by at least 30. This executive order is reflective of the global warming agreement Obama made with China in November. The agreement Obama promised that the United States would reduce its carbon emissions by about 27% below the nation’s emissions in 2005, by 2025. Furthermore, the president’s order does not come as a shock, as it is an elaboration on Obama’s 2008 executive order that mandated that the government cut their carbon emissions by 28% by 2020. Moreover, Obama’s decision to issue this executive agreement seems to be in line with his new style as Chief Legislature. To illustrate, as of late, the president has been using an “expansive interpretation” of his presidential powers in order to push legislation through a gridlocked Republican Congress.
However, in reality, Obama’s executive decision may be more of just a gesture that America is willing to lead the world by example, as the order itself is unlikely to have a big impact on America’s carbon emissions. To illustrate, the federal government is responsible for less than 1% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, since the agencies are the biggest consumers of energy in the United States, there is hope that by reducing the federal government’s usage of nonrenewable resources, other large industries will be inspired to reduce their own carbon emissions.
Furthermore, in addition to the directive, the White House has released a “score card” that permits federal suppliers to keep track of their reductions and disclose their emissions. As a result of this new order, several companies (including I.B.M, G.E., and Honeywell) have declared that they will set their own greenhouse gas reduction goals as well. The executive order not only will help hinder global warming, but will also benefit the taxpayers as well as the economy. To demonstrate, by cutting down on the federal government’s greenhouse gas emissions, it is estimated that the government could save up to $18 billion over the next decade. In addition, senior White House aide, Brian Desse, has pointed out that, “If [the agencies] can consume less energy or they can consume renewable energy that is cheaper, more reliable or more sustainable, then they can achieve their environmental goals while they are saving money.”
What do you think of Obama’s executive order? Do you think that the directive was justified or that Obama is abusing his powers as president by trying to act unilaterally to bring about climate change? Furthermore, do you believe that the executive order will actually inspire American companies and the American people in general to reduce their carbon emissions? Energy interest groups, like Koch Industries, are key supporters of the GOP, donating millions of dollars to the Republican Party; how do you think Republicans will respond to this executive order? Will there be any political consequences for the president?
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/us/politics/obama-order-to-cut-federal-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/19/obama-issue-executive-order-cutting-federal-govern/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/03/19/obama-to-cut-federal-governments-carbon-emissions/
8 comments:
I am all for the protection of the planet and limiting carbon admissions, and currently with a republican filled congress there is no possible way for "green" bills to be passed without the use of executive action. It is pretty well known by now that I will always support the president’s use of executive action only when it deals directly to climate issues. This is completely justified because how are we as specie going to evolve and become a more compassionate to the planet if we can’t even lead by example and expect someone else to do it. I do not know if it will inspire America to reduce carbon emissions, I hope so, but at the very least it will make it mandatory to do so. I think Republicans will react the same way as they always do, with displeasure. There won’t be any political consequences I don’t think for the president because he will always be under scrutiny whether he takes action or not. The GOP has already threatened for impeachment before, there is not much else they can do about it, and Obama is also in his second term so he does not have to worry about reelection so he will do what he thinks is best for the country.
Sophia, I personally think that setting these goals for the country is a good thing. As you mentioned in your lauch, the benefits of this go beyond just helping the environment and I think that is really important to note. The money that the goverment could save by doing this could be put towards helping other causes,which may cause some people who would normally oppose this order to accept it. As we learned about in class, compromise is critical when it comes to getting support for a cause. You asked how republicans may respond and I think it is possible that the multiple benefits that come from this may make it easier for them to support it and maybe they could work out a compromise. Also, to address the comment you made about country becoming a leader in this area, I think having that image would be a good thing for the country. It would show that the country is actually interested in improving the environment. In a CNN article I read, it said that the President had actually put some solar-like panels on the White House. This shows that he is commited to these efforts and I think that could really help the country. Here is the link for the article I read: http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/19/politics/obama-greenhouse-gas/
No one can really argue at this point that the Earth is in serious jeopardy because of pollution and the emissions of green house gases. The fact that our government is going to take a strong stance against the emissions of such gases is a huge step. It means that more and more people are likely to follow suit and means that congress might become more willing to pass more green legislation to help the environment. That would surely be helpful in the effort to cut down our emissions and make the world a less polluted place. As of right now we see too many corporations spew out pollution into the atmosphere and cause damage to our earth. Of course the government as you said does not take part in a large percentage of the damage done to the ozone layer, however it is a gesture that is likely to help our country. If more people follow in the footsteps of the government we can see a change in the pollution emitted by our country.
The executive order that President Obama has recently signed in a strong move in the right direction towards achieving all of his goals within his emissions-cutting system. In addition to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of federal agencies and pressing private companies to follow suit, Obama is also setting an international precedent ahead of the upcoming UN conference which is looking to address climate control. In addition to health care and economic reform, Obama has been taking massive strides towards conquering climate control despite an opposing Republican congress and poor support from the private sector. Despite these minor setbacks, Obama, in my opinion, has succeeded by taking a unilateral approach through his executive order rather than waiting for Congress to produce legislation that will be quite the opposite from the ideas that were intended to be implemented.
Along with President Obama, several major companies within the United States have supported Obama in his crusade against air pollution and are looking to find alternative energy solutions. For example, IBM, General Electric, and other companies have announced new emissions-cutting goals of their own, and plan to move towards the growing demand for solar and wind power as their respective industries reach economies of scale. As the demand for alternative energy solutions rises, their price will be driven down and will aid the economy in its transition, and thus supply new jobs in their production. Obama is pushing the private sector to take the initiative in new forms of energy that they aren't willing to do individually. A cooperative effort will shift the economy as a whole and will set new targets for protecting the environment.
Meanwhile, the Republicans in Congress should not take offense to Obama’s latest executive order, as he is only adding to his climate agenda which will benefit both parties, regardless of their economic stance. The order will usher in a very pragmatic approach to consuming less energy for cheaper costs, which big businesses will want to take advantage of. Obama, you keep doing you.
Sophia,
I think that this is a very interesting article, especially since it relates so closely to what we have been learning about in class. Every since the majority in Congress switched to Republican, the federal government has been working even slower than in the past. Therefore, I believe that in this case, President Obama was justified in using his implied powers and making this executive order. As a super power in this world, it is our responsibility to set the standard for successful initiatives to protect our world. Even though the federal agencies are not responsible for a large percentage of the United State's greenhouse gas emissions, it is vital that they start the initiative. We cannot expect companies to take actions that the federal government is not even willing to take. Furthermore, since the large companies such as G.E. and IBM have followed the lead of the federal government, it is only a matter of time before even more companies hop on the bandwagon. Cutting emissions by 40% is no easy feat, but through Obama using his executive order, there was no halting of the legislation in Congress. We have already learned about how long it takes even a popular bill to be passed, so I can't imagine how long it would have taken the Republican-heavy Congress to pass this legislation. Overall, I believe that this was the correct decision made by Obama that will pay off in the end.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/19/obama-issue-executive-order-cutting-federal-govern/
I support the statements of my fellow classmates in this matter. I agree with Ryan that there is no true way to have green bills passed in a Republican dominated Congress. This is simply due to the fact that the policy agenda for the party is to block bills like these for the most part. Due to the heavy tendencies for members of Congress to side with their party it is unlikely anything will be accomplished regarding the protection of the environment. This is a relatively safe use of Executive orders as it focuses on the federal agencies rather than the private sector. However Sophia, I do not expect this to do anything meaningful in the business world or even among many consumers. Many businesses gain nothing from following the lead and end up losing profit which would dissuade them from following suit. Most consumers will not give it much of a second thought unless the President comes out and tels them that the Environment is one issue they need to be very involved in. As for the GOP, it can be assumed that they will use this as evidence against Obama when citing abuse of power and that they will attempt to fight him on this. It can also be assumed that many negative titles will be thrown at the president by anyone opposed to this bill. I doubt any serious political consequences will occur due to this, I think the GOP and their allies will reserve any sort of political assault for a more dividing issue which can help them stay in power in government.
Generally speaking, I agree with Obama and the other posters – climate change is a serious concern that demands immediate action. Therefore, I am not fundamentally opposed to unilateral action to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gasses; in this case, I think the ends justify the means. That said, I think it remains to be seen whether GE, Northrop Grumman, or the other companies that have jumped onboard with the president’s initiative will be able to change the tide of energy use in the world. The unfortunate reality of the situation is that “going green” will not catch on until it is made into an economically viable option. At present, companies stand to lose too much revenue by making the switch to renewable resources. Green power – from wind farms, solar power, or other renewable energy sources – remains significantly more expensive than traditional power sources. I don’t think we will see any substantial changes in business practices unless companies decide to make costly sacrifices, or more cost-effective green technology is developed. As for Congressional Republicans, I think it is a foregone conclusion that they will push back on Obama for his executive order. As it is, they are already suspicious of him for what they consider to be abuses of power – this will certainly not help.
I personally like Obama’s new executive decision. I think that this is a very smart move politically and environmentally. A lot of Obama’s agenda has lately been focused on the environment. He has had to battle the Keystone Pipeline XL, he was working with the EPA and now he issues an executive order. I understand why he is doing this: he wants to meet the goals he set out for himself in 2008 and realizes the importance in keeping the country clean. If the carbon emission can actually be reduced to about 27% below the nation’s emissions in 2005 this will be a great feat. I think the idea that he will be a role model for other businesses is a good one because if the country is on board with saving corporations will try and please the people and do the same. The main issue in this whole environmental agenda is the Republicans. Like Sophia mentioned, alot of their constituents and key supporters of the GOP are not favoring Obama’s order to cut back on emissions because it decreases their profits. This will be a tough sell but I think Obama can pull it off and win this war against the Republicans. But if Obama wins this there will definitely be political consequences. Since he got this part of his agenda to work I assume that the Republicans will make sure that some of their agenda gets passed. It is all about compromise so if one party gets something the other one will be making sure that they got what they want to. All in all this is a great policy and will not only be better for everyone, but it will also save money for the country in the long run and make it a more sustainable society that everyone else in the world can look up to.
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