About the Climate Security Act of 2008

If enacted, the proposed Climate Security Act of 2008 would become the federal government's regulatory program to reduce nationwide emissions of greenhouse gases enough between 2008 and 2050 to prevent the potential catastrophic effects of global warming. The Act would place greenhouse gas emission caps on U.S. electric power, transportation, manufacturing, and natural gas sources that together account for 87 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

The emission cap on those sources would start at 4 percent below the 2005 emission level by 2012 and then lower year-by-year at a constant rate until it reaches 19 percent below the 2005 emissions level by 2020 and 71 percent below the 2005 emissions level by 2050.

Supporters of the Climate Security Act project that the bill's emission caps would ultimately reduce total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 25 percent below the 2005 emissions level by 2020 and by as much as 66 percent below the 2005 emissions level by 2050.

By comparison, the far more aggressive and already-enacted California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32), requires all California sources of greenhouse gas emissions, including industries, utilities, cities and counties, to reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Also See: White House Releases Global Warming Report