McCain..........................
DO YOU THINK CLIMATE CHANGE IS CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY? IF NOT, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THE ISSUE? WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WOULD YOU DO TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?
Based on consensus among the world's scientists, I believe that global climate change is real, consequential, and related to human activities. Noticeable effects from the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are already being felt on earth, and scientists are convinced that the effects will grow more significant and costly. Experts believe that the effects of these changes - including increased ground temperatures, reduced water supply, rising sea levels, and changing agricultural patterns - can result in social, economic, and political upheaval that impact U.S. national security. Furthermore, market forces, political instability, terrorism and environmental pressures make our dependence on foreign oil a strategic vulnerability. We must act now to strengthen American security. As president, I will pursue a market-based, cap and trade system to achieve appropriate limits on greenhouse gas emissions as efficiently and effectively as possible. I will ensure that such a system is harnessed as a means of diversifying the nation's energy mix to make us less dependent on foreign oil and to place America at the forefront in the development of the energy and environmental protection technologies the world will demand for many years to come. I will also ensure that these efforts meet several key tests, including proper protection of consumers and the economy, preventing other countries from dodging their responsibilities, promoting the development and deployment of advanced technology, and prioritizing the best interests of America's economic, environmental, and national security. I will not support schemes advanced by other policymakers and candidates that would use this problem to levy new taxes that will be more successful at filling government coffers and empowering bureaucrats than achieving necessary environmental objectives as flexibly and efficiently as possible.
SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT HAVE A ROLE IN ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY RESOURCES? IF YES, HOW WOULD YOU DO IT?
I believe we must act now to increase our energy security, but the strategy I propose won't be another grab bag of handouts to this or that industry and a full employment act for lobbyists. Energy efficiency by using improved technology and practicing sensible habits in our homes, businesses and automobiles is a big part of the answer, and is something we can achieve right now. And new advances will make conservation an ever more important part of the solution. Improved light bulbs can use much less energy; smart grid technology can help homeowners and businesses lower their energy use, and breakthroughs in high tech materials can greatly improve fuel efficiency in our oil-dependent transportation sector. We can easily deploy such technology today for less than $100 per flexible-fuel vehicle. We can also provide fuel options and improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicle fleet by making them out of high tech materials that improve their strength and safety. We are doing that very thing right now to beat our foreign competitors in the aerospace industry. Alcohol fuels made from corn, sugar, switch grass and many other sources, fuel cells, biodiesel derived from waste products, natural gas, and other technologies are all promising and available alternatives to oil. America's electricity production is for the most part petroleum free, and the existing electric power grid has the capacity to handle the added demand imposed by plug-in hybrid vehicles. We can add more capacity and improve its reliability in the years ahead. With some of the savings from cutting subsidies for industries that can stand on their own, we can establish a national challenge to improve the cost, range, size, and weight of electric batteries for automobiles. Fifty percent of cars on the road are driven 25 miles a day or less. Affordable battery-powered vehicles that can meet average commuter needs could help us cut oil imports in half. The reward will be earned through merit by whoever accomplishes the task. I want to improve and make permanent the research and development tax credit. I want to spend less money on government bureaucracies, and, where the private sector isn't moving out of regulatory fear, to form the partnerships necessary to build demonstration models of promising new technologies such as advanced nuclear power plants, coal gasification, carbon capture and storage, and renewable power so we can efficiently use our most abundant resources.
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