Breakthrough Republican Climate Plan Still Falls Short

WASHINGTON - Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida today introduced one of the first credible proposals by a congressional Republican to address climate change, but it will not cut greenhouse gas pollution enough to safeguard the climate.

David Doniger, senior strategic director of the Climate & Clean Energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, made this statement:

“It’s a breakthrough to see a serious Republican proposal take aim at the central environmental threat of our time. But this carbon tax plan is only a conversation starter. It falls far short of what’s needed to protect our climate.

“It won’t cut heat-trapping pollution fast enough. It should invest far more in emission-reducing energy efficiency, renewable power, and electric vehicles. And it seeks to preempt using the Clean Air Act to cut our carbon footprint. We must deploy all available tools, not limit them as this bill does, to head off the worst damages from climate change.”

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.