Barack Obama’s Climate Plan Makes for Canny Politics

President Barack Obama announced a Clean Power Plan for the United States – reducing carbon emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and increasing reliance on renewable energy; solar power is expected to expand by 700 percent with reduced costs. “Coal-fired power plants will be closed and, with export potential limited, dozens of US coal mines will close as well,” writes Nick Butler for the Financial Times. “The number is ambitious but the pace of technical progress means growth could be achieved without a big increase in subsidies or consumer prices.” The announcement’s timing encourages debate before the December climate conference in Paris and the 2016 US presidential election Butler suggests that Obama is dividing Republican opposition, forcing them to respond. Polls suggest US voters, like others around the globe, regard climate change as a problem. – YaleGlobal