Horowitz: New Rules for Heavy Trucks & Buses Bring More Progress on Climate Change
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Because the anticipated savings in fuel costs far outweigh the estimated $12,000 per vehicle expenditure required for equipping new trucks to meet the standards along with the fact that there are multiple paths offered to getting into compliance, the Trucking Industry is by and large supportive of the new regulations. In fact, these new standards were developed in close coordination with the industry, making it much less likely that implementation will be delayed by a lengthy court battle as is currently the case with some of the emission standards issued on power plants.
The stepped-up standards on heavy and medium-sized vehicles supplement the ambitious fuel efficiency requirements the Obama Administration previously put in place for cars and light trucks. These Executive Actions by the Obama Administration, mainly using the authority granted by Congress under the Clean Air Act, is what continues to give President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry the credibility to persuade the world, including the developing nations like China and India who had previously dug in their heels to take significant actions on climate change.
Our major domestic actions on climate change are what created the diplomatic space for the Obama Administration to forge a sweeping climate change agreement in Paris at the end of last year, putting the world on the right path to avoid the worst consequences of global warming. For the first time, nearly all the nations of the world--- developed and developing nations alike, 197 all told--- agreed to lower greenhouse gas emissions
Paris was also marked by Bill Gates announcing the launch of a a robust new renewable energy fund to which he is committed $1 billion of his own money and recruited investors such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, These kind of investments are essential to speeding the transition of our energy system away from fossil fuels—a transition that is occurring more rapidly than most observers would have predicted only a few short years ago.
As we move into the final 4 months of the Obama Administration, I expect to see several more climate change initiatives. It will then be up to the next President to expand on one of President Obama’s most important accomplishments and work to keep the United States and the world on a path to at least limit global temperature increases. For the sake of all of us who inhabit this planet and our children, this is a legacy to build upon—not squander.
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, elected official and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at University of Rhode Island.
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