McCain and Obama Explain Positions on Climate, Energy

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama both agree that global warming is caused by humans and must be dealt with urgently, but they differ on how to best reduce carbon emissions and the roles that nuclear power and renewable energy should play. The candidates staked out their positions online in a forum sponsored by a non-partisan group, ScienceDebate 2008. On climate change, Obama sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and supports a cap-and-trade system under which all permits to emit carbon would be auctioned. McCain proposes a greenhouse-gas reduction of 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and does not explicitly support an all-auction system for carbon permits. McCain proposes the construction of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030 and rapid development of renewable sources, such as solar and wind. Obama calls for the government to invest $150 billion over 10 years to develop renewable energy sources and alternative fuels and supports more limited use of nuclear power.