Chris Coons on Energy & Oil

Reduce CO2 by focus on energy efficiency and conservation

COONS: The most effective investment in reducing emissions of CO2 and other things that cause greenhouse gas warming is energy efficiency and conservation. There was a significant investment in the stimulus bill in getting municipalities, local governments, the private sector, to invest in efficiency and conservation. And those are investments that reduce emissions, put people to work, and can develop cutting edge technologies that make our systems operate better and to reduce, not just the emissions, but also the operating expenses.

O'DONNELL: The best way to address that is to talk about Cap and Trade because the winner of this Senate race can be immediately sworn in and serve it in Harry Reid's lame duck session and vote on Cap and Trade. While I do believe that we have to be good stewards of this earth, we don't need to do it at the expense of our citizens and Cap and Trade will do that.

Buildup of carbon dioxide is unsustainable

Oil drilling poses an environmental risk

Supports passage of Cap-and-Trade energy legislation.

Faith2Action.org is "the nation's largest network of pro-family groups." They provide election resources for each state, including Voter Guides and Congressional Scorecards excerpted here. The Faith2Action survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Passage of Cap-and-Trade Energy Legislation'

50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030.

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should establish a national goal of more than 50 percent clean and carbon free electricity by 2030 for the purposes of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, growing our economy, increasing our shared prosperity, improving public health, and preserving our national security.

• Whereas failing to act on climate change will have a devastating impact on our Nation`s economy, costing us billions of dollars in lost GDP;
• Whereas extreme weather, intensified by climate change, has already cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year in recovery efforts, and this will only continue if climate change is left unaddressed;
• Whereas climate change will have devastating public health implications, including increased asthma attacks and exacerbation of other respiratory diseases, especially in vulnerable populations;
• Whereas inaction on climate change will disproportionately impact communities of color and exacerbate existing economic inequalities;
• Whereas the transition to a clean energy economy is feasible with existing technology;
• Whereas the transition to clean energy will create millions of jobs and will increase our country`s GDP and increase disposable household income;

1. Establish a national goal of more than 50 percent clean and carbon free electricity by 2030; and
2. Enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy to meet this goal.