What To Expect On Climate Policy W. GOP Senate: Nothing Even Remotely Close To What's Needed

[hatrack]

The votes are still being tallied to determine whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will become the next president of the United States. But despite still-undecided outcomes in states including Maine, Georgia and North Carolina as of Wednesday morning, it appears increasingly likely that Republicans will retain a majority in the U.S. Senate. If Republicans do keep control of the upper chamber of Congress, the options for Democrats to push through their wide-ranging energy and climate change policies will narrow significantly — even if Biden wins the election.

Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan, which includes pledges to create a national clean energy standard and target a net-zero carbon power sector by 2035 — a highly ambitious target that many utilities and energy experts say would be exceedingly difficult to achieve — could be expected to face severe opposition from Senate Republicans. More wide-ranging proposals from Democrats in the House of Representatives would appear to be even further out of reach.

EDIT

But a Republican majority in the Senate would prevent Democrats from managing the reconciliation process through both houses of Congress. Murkowski insisted the GOP is not opposed to what she termed "commonsense climate policies." But legislative proposals from her party have been sparse. House Republicans proposed a bill this year that would focus on planting trees to sequester atmospheric carbon, but they have not followed up with promised additional bills focused on clean energy and conservation.

Successive polls show that a significant majority of U.S. citizens support action to combat global warming, putting pressure on both parties to seek bipartisan measures to meet the challenge. Murkowski is part of a “Senate Climate Solutions Caucus” that includes Republican senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mike Braun of Indiana and Mitt Romney of Utah, along with Democrats.

Ed. -

Murkowski is also the co-sponsor of the American Energy Innovation Act, a massive energy bill containing hundreds of millions of dollars in funding over the coming years to boost research and development for solar and wind power, energy storage, smart grid, electric vehicles and other key clean energy technologies. The bill faltered this spring but could be reintroduced next year — although its inclusion of funding for the oil and gas industries is likely to face some opposition from Democrats.

Hint to editors - "hundreds of millions of dollars" is not "massive" by any stretch of the imagination.

EDIT

https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/prospect-of-republican-senate-majority-narrows-democrats-clean-energy-policy-options

[Cicada]

1. We need small factory built nuclear reactors, asap

We are not making much progress with renewables. We need game changers. Maybe aerosol spraying the atmosphere with reflective particles, which isn’t tested for unexpected side effects. Definitely small factory built nuclear power reactors combined with electric vehicles. Better radioactive than dead. But they have minimal risk since they are each smallish.