McCain Offers Environmental, Energy Leadership

Senator McCain has outlined his approach to the global environment and energy demands of the coming years.

His approach includes the use of market tools to meet environmental goals. This builds on the proven effectiveness of such approaches in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.

The issue has been framed in partisan political terms by much of the general media, e.g., "McCain Woos Democrats on the Environment."

Some environmental activists, such as Carl Pope of the Sierra Club, dismiss the McCain proposal as insufficient to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal editorial board appears to believe it's too ambitious to be discussed frankly in its current form.

Both sides agree in the sense they appear more concerned with striking a pose rather than rolling up their sleeves to make progress.

The last major action--The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change--occurred nearly two decades ago.

The stubborn fact is: neither the Clinton nor George W. Bush administrations have achieved significant progress in this area. Emissions are up. Oil imports are up.

Real action--as opposed to rhetorical jousting, attempting to marginalize others in partisan combat--is lacking.

Senators McCain and Obama have committed to moving the United States--and the world--forward toward renewed leadership on environmental and energy issues. There will be foreseeable differences in their approach. Obama is likely to tend more toward a command and control approach as the process moves forward. McCain, on the other hand, is likely to rely more heavily on market drivers.

Nonetheless the common ground is great at a historic moment.