It was a telling moment. Al Gore was before the Senate environment committee last week, being grilled on the science of climate change by Republican Senator James Inhofe. Until January, Inhofe had been the committee鈥檚 chairman, and his manner seemed calculated to deprive the former vice-president of time to respond. Finally Barbara Boxer, the committee鈥檚 new Democratic chairwoman, lost patience. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not making the rules,鈥� she said, brandishing her gavel. 鈥淓lections have consequences.鈥�
The exchange offered striking evidence of how last November鈥檚 ouster of Republicans from both houses of Congress is likely to shape US policy on global warming. This year at least six current or expected bills in the Senate will address global warming in some fashion, with all but one of them including a mandatory 鈥渃ap and trade鈥� system to limit carbon emissions. Three bills which similarly limit emissions are expected before the House of Representatives, where this year hearings on climate change have been exceeded in number only by those on the war in Iraq.
鈥淢any in Congress realise there is no silver bullet on global warming, but setting carbon limits first and foremost will drive technological changes to a clean energy economy,鈥� says Eben Burnham-Snyder, a spokeman for the environmental advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council.
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A further indicator of change is the setting up last week of a House committee on energy independence and global warming by House speaker Nancy Pelosi. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a 180-degree turn,鈥� says Ana Unruh Cohen, senior policy adviser to the new committee. 鈥淚n the last Congress, the Republicans didn鈥檛 want to even speak of climate change, let alone global warming.鈥�.
Just how far Congress will go to advance a climate change agenda remains to be seen. There are deep-seated political factors that may yet hold it back, foremost among them being fears that the US economy will suffer if it is subjected to energy restrictions while China and India enjoy unbridled growth. Congress may also pull back from draconian measures to limit carbon for the next two years in anticipation of a more favourable reception from whoever is elected president in 2008.
How green that new president will be remains to be seen. However, one questioner Gore faced seemed to suggest that he might enjoy a warm reception, and possibly a new role, under at least one putative new administration. 鈥淚f we could indulge him with some additional time in the future, I think it could be very helpful,鈥� said Senator Hillary Clinton.
