Trends in Climate and Energy Policy in the United States

At an Ecologic Transatlantic Luncheon on 5 November 2008, David Campbell spoke about trends in climate change and energy policy in the United States after the US elections. Campbell is Director of Trade Policy at the Representative of German Industry and Trade (RGIT), the liaison office of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) in Washington, D.C. David Campbell expressed his expectation that an Obama Administration would adopt a "greener" and more diplomatic approach toward climate change and energy cooperation.

In his opening remarks, David Campbell referred to Obama's victory speech in which environment has featured high. He expects Obama to take a "greener" and more diplomatic approach towards the issues of climate change and energy cooperation than the out going administration. Campbell stressed that Obama has been in favor of a cap and trade system throughout the campaign but expects that Congress will continue to be critical of ambitious climate change policies, partly because climate change policies will be discussed in various Committees, out which some have traditionally taken a critical stance towards climate change. US environmental policies will also largely depend on how the economy will develop over the coming years; the financial crisis and economic downturn will - as in the past - impede ambitious environmental policies, and so will low energy prices.

During the discussions, it was highlighted that the US position on a future climate change regime will largely depend on the commitments that India and particularly China will accept. Some kind of binding commitments for these countries will be key for the US to agree on a new regime. It was expected that nuclear energy will make a come back, even under the new administration, that it is not clear whether US biofuel policies will change considerably, despite its adverse impacts on food security and the environment. The role of lobby groups and Senators were highlighted in this context of biofuels.

Further links:

• CV David Campbell [pdf, Englisch, 29 KB]
• U.S. Climate and Energy Policy: An Overview, RGIT Special Report, August 2008.
• An article by Campbell on the current status of U.S. climate change and energy policy, updating the RGIT Special Report from August 2008, is forthcoming in the next issue of FACET, edited by Alexander Ochs.  
• The House Committee on Energy and Commerce: The climate change draft proposal introduced by U.S. Representative John Dingell (MI) in October 2008
• Representative of German Industry and Trade (RGIT)
• Ecologic Dinner Dialogue: The New Environmental Awareness in the United States: Successful Climate Protection at the Grassroots – John Morrill
• Ecologic Dinner Dialogue: Comparative Domestic Policies – Experiences at the Subnational Level – Miranda A. Schreurs
• Ecologic Project: Federalism in Germany and the USA: Environmental Regulatory Implications and Trends