California, EEUU: Jerry Browm firma ley que establece 100% de energía renovable para el 2045

"Este proyecto de ley y la orden ejecutiva ponen a California en el camino de cumplir los objetivos de París y más allá. No será fácil. No será inmediato. Pero debe hacerse ", dijo el gobernador de California, Jerry Brown, al firmar el proyecto de ley aprobado por las dos cámaras del estado, por la cual se especifica que para 2045 el total de la electricidad provendrá de fuentes renovables: El gobernador además asignó una orden ejecutiva que establece un nuevo objetivo para alcanzar la neutralidad de carbono para el mismo año.

Tal como se adelantó la semana pasada, la ley promulgada propone que el estado reciba el 50% de su electricidad de fuentes renovables para 2026; el 60% para 2030, y el 100% para 2045. La legislación vigente exige que el estado obtenga el 50% de su electricidad de fuentes renovables para 2030.

"California se compromete a hacer lo que sea necesario para enfrentar la amenaza existencial del cambio climático", dijo el gobernador Brown en su mensaje de firma del conocido como proyecto de ley SB 100. "Este proyecto de ley, y otros que firmaré esta semana, nos ayudarán a ir en esa dirección. Pero no se hagan ilusiones, California y el resto del mundo tienen millas por recorrer antes de que logremos cero emisiones de carbono".

Neutralidad de carbono

Según una comunicación de la gobernación, se asegura: "para garantizar que California combata el calentamiento global más allá del sector eléctrico, que representa el 16% de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero del estado, el gobernador emitió una orden ejecutiva que ordena al estado alcanzar la neutralidad de carbono para 2045 y las emisiones netas negativas de gases de efecto invernadero. Esto asegurará que California elimine tanto dióxido de carbono de la atmósfera como emite, el primer paso para revertir los impactos potencialmente desastrosos del cambio climático".

Fuente: ER

Guatemala Energía Solar. Exponen nuevo plan de inversión

Por G. Contreras y B. Dardon
PrensaLibre.com

Las autoridades guatemaltecas presentaron ayer, en España, una estrategia de entre cinco y ocho años para atraer inversión extranjera de aproximadamente US$27 mil millones destinados a infraestructura, petróleo, puertos y aeropuertos, y anunciaron la construcción de un parque solar.

CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA - El presidente Otto Pérez Molina se reunió ayer con directivos de la Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (Ceoe), a quienes expuso la estrategia.

Juan Rosell, presidente del Ceoe, resaltó la posibilidad de  seguridad jurídica y abogó por un futuro acuerdo bilateral que evite la doble imposición entre ambos países, informó la página oficial de la Confederación.

Energía solar

El Grupo Ortiz de España será el conjunto de empresas encargadas de construir en Guatemala un parque de energía solar con capacidad para producir hasta 50 megavatios (MW), el “más grande de Latinoamérica”, según el presidente, y el “más grande de Centroamérica”, de acuerdo con el ministro de Energía y Minas, Érick Archila.

En una videoconferencia desde Madrid, España, donde ayer concluyó una visita oficial de tres días, el gobernante anunció: “La licitación ya se hizo y son alrededor de €20 millones los que van a ser dedicados inicialmente, porque son 50MW los que se van a producir a través de esta energía solar y será el parque solar más grande de toda Latinoamérica”.

Agregó que, según directivos de la empresa,  los trabajos podrían empezar en dos meses.

Tiempos y ubicación

Archila explicó que el Grupo Ortiz “es uno de los más importantes de España”, y que calculan terminar el proyecto en 18 meses.

“Es un proyecto de alrededor de US$140 millones y que estará puesto en Guatemala, lo cual marcará una diferencia importante y seremos los primeros en Centroamérica con este tipo de proyectos”, indicó Archila.

Aunque aún se evalúa dónde construir  la planta de generación, el funcionario informó que “lo más seguro” es que se ubique en Zacapa, una de las áreas del país más idóneas para la captación de  energía solar.

En noviembre del 2012 la Junta de Licitación, integrada por las distribuidoras Energuate y la Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala, S.A. (EEGSA), adjudicó  421MW, de los cuales, 50MW son solares y los ganó el Grupo Ortiz de España.

De acuerdo con Energuate, las compañías españolas que ganaron parte de la licitación son Rainbow Energy Corp. —del Grupo Ortiz—  y Sibo Solar.
Según la EEGSA, Sibo Solar podría instalarse en Taxisco, Santa Rosa; La Gomera, Escuintla, o Río Hondo, Zacapa, y Rainbow Energy, en Tiquisate, Escuintla.

Firmas españolas

Las empresas españolas Alatec y Tecniberia son las primeras que se apuntaron formalmente para el megaproyecto del Canal Interoceánico de Guatemala, según el presidente Otto Pérez Molina.

El gobernante aseguró que representantes de esas compañías viajan constantemente al país.

“Tienen una visión más amplia. Una persona con la que me reuní dijo que  era necesario involucrar a los otros continentes, el asiático, resto de la UE, porque ellos van a ser también favorecidos”, expuso el mandatario. El Canal Seco uniría a los océanos por el  oriente del país.

Parque enérgetico, Generación de energía, Matriz energética, Guatemala, Recursos naturales

China's Solar Dragon Year 2012

By Frank Haugwitz, Asia Europe Clean Energy Advisory 
13 de febrero de 2013 

According to the lunar calendar the year of the dragon came to an end on February 9, 2013. A "dragon year" which only takes place every 12 years is characterized by numerous significant events usually initiating/causing profound fundamental changes for the society, economy, and politics. This general belief or superstition certainly holds true as far as the deployment of solar in China in the coming years is concerned, because 2012 was indeed very eventful, since nearly almost every month an official announcement was made, designed to shape the future course of China's solar development in the short, medium, and long term.

Mid February last year the Ministry for Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) took the lead in publishing its 12^th Five-Year-Plan (FYP) 2011-2015 Roadmap for Solar Development emphasizing to intensify indigenous efforts related to technological advancements in order to ensure that its home-grown solar industry will manage to catch up and eventually exceed levels of its international peers. Interestingly the MIIT openly called for a consolidation of its domestic industry, thus implying the irrational expansion of massive production capacities is by far exceeding the global demand to date and coming years. Especially the latter was highlighted in the “Report on the Work of the Government” on March 15, 2012, released by the State Council in the course of the 11^th National People’s Congress. Accordingly, the original version explicitly stipulated “to curb the blind expansion of the solar industry”; however upon discussions with legislators and political advisors this wording was amended “to prevent the blind expansion of the manufacturing capacity of solar energy facilities”. The chairman of the Shanghai Social Sciences Association Mr. Qin Shaode was quoted “We should prevent the industry from over-expansion because many local governments blindly launch projects. […] The amendment is more precise and could help to encourage a healthier development of the new energy industry”.
Late April 2012, the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), and the National Energy Administration (NEA) jointly announced that in total 1709 MW of so-called "Golden Sun" projects received official approval and have to be implemented by December 31, 2012. Along with announcing the results, project applicants were informed that they are entitled to a 21% reduced financial support of then RMB 5.5/W [retroactively reduced from RMB 7/W], because of a significant price reduction for components/systems experienced during January and April 2012.
Possibly triggered by the announcement of the ITC/USA to levy/impose import duties on Chinese solar panels on May 18, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called for more solar installations on public buildings during a working meeting late May, thus making it one of the earliest official indications at the highest possible political level regarding the distributed generation of solar/PV applications.
June 30, 2012 was marked as the deadline for in total 692 MW of Golden Sun projects, approved in November 2011. However, by Dec 2012 MOF disclosed that 59 MW of the projects (equivalent of nearly 9%) were cancelled without providing an explanation.
Early August, China’s NEA released its 12^th FYP for Renewable Energy Development stipulating as well the official long-term target of 50 GW of solar installations (including 3 GW of CSP) by 2020. Roughly one month later the same administration announced the long awaited 12^th FYP for Solar Development setting a target of 21 GW by 2015 (including 1 GW of CSP) requiring an estimated investment of approx. 30 bln EURO. Unprecedented, this national solar target was increased twice from initially 5 GW (March 2011) to 10 GW (April 2011) to 15 GW (Dec 2011) to finally 21 GW in Sept. 2012. However, most recent indications made by various govt. officials suggest a possible further increase to 35 or even 40 GW by 2015, thus reflecting the growing political commitment throughout China’s administration.
The release of China’s 12^th FYP for Solar Development followed relatively soon NEA’s announcement to implement a program designed to facilitate 500 MW of distributed solar generation power per province, translating into 15 GW in total between 2013 and 2015. Supplementary implementation regulations were published by the State Grid Corp. (SGC) on October 26, effective from November 1^st, 2012. Surprisingly, incurred fees for systems up to 6 MW for getting connected to the grid were waived. Prior to this announcement the fee for e.g. a 10 MW roof-top system in Jiangsu province could easily amount to EUR 500,000, thus considered prohibitively expensive by project developers.
October witnessed the release of a “White Paper on China’s Energy Policy”, the second of its kind published ever since 1991. The white paper clearly ranked clean and renewable energies as its second most important source of energy, after energy conservation, to be utilized in future.
The November highlight was the once-in-a-decade leadership transition, i.e. Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang were formally announced to replace the current Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during the upcoming NPC in March respectively. At this stage, it is too early to judge whether China’s solar industry can expect the same level of attention of the two new leaders, since e.g. the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao again chaired a working meeting at the State Council resulting in relatively comprehensive guidelines for China’s solar industry development in late December.
Finally, right before the Roman calendar came to an end, the 2^nd batch of the in 2012 approved, Golden Sun projects amounting to 2834 MW were disclosed, thus Golden Sun projects approved in 2012 totalled 4453 MW representing a 550% increase compared to 2011. Additionally, triggered by the introduction of a national FIT in July 2011, monthly tendered PV projects throughout 2012 made-up another 4785 MW. However, still not enough, adding another 220 MW of rooftop projects approved by MOHURD consequently last year witnessed a combined project pipeline of approx. 9548 MW. At this stage, according to preliminary estimations by various Chinese PV institutions approx. 3.5 to 4.5 GW were installed in 2012, constituting/representing an increase between 30-70% compared to 2011.
In retrospect, 2012 was a very good year for the solar dragon to take off in China. February 10^th, 2013 will mark the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which is usually referred to the “little dragon year”. According to the Chinese zodiac, decisions taken during 2012 will lay the groundwork for 2013, i.e. China is expected to become the largest market worldwide with an estimated installation of up to, if not more than 10 GW.

Frank Haugwitz's analysis will be highlighted during Solar Power-Gen 2013 in San Diego on Thursday, February 14th.  The panel is entitled China: Unraveling the Mystery.  More information about the show is here.

Lead image: Chinese dragon via Shutterstock

Solar Energy, Solar Tech

 

The information and views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on its Web site and other publications.

Doha: ¿un paso adelante o nuevo fracaso?

ERLunes, 10 de diciembre de 2012

La secretaria general de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre Cambio Climático (CMNUCC), Christiana Figueres, considera que el acuerdo alcanzado en Doha (Qatar) por los 200 países asistentes a la COP 18 es “un nuevo paso en la dirección correcta”. En el otro extremo se sitúan las organizaciones no gubernamentales, que no dudan en hablar de “fracaso”.

Tras largas horas de debates y con un día de retraso, los países reunidos en Doha en la XVIII Conferencia de las Partes de la ONU sobre Cambio Climático (COP18) aprobaron el sábado pasado la prórroga hasta 2020 del periodo de compromiso del Protocolo de Kyoto, pero sin el apoyo de países tan decisivos como Japón, Rusia, Canadá y Nueva Zelanda, informa la agencia Efe. Tampoco se ha sumado Estados Unidos, que nunca llegó a ratificarlo. Estas ausencias implican que los países que se han comprometido a reducir sus emisiones durante el segundo periodo de Kioto –con la UE, Australia, Noruega y Suiza a la cabeza–  generan poco más del 15 % del total de emisiones contaminantes mundiales.

Pese a ello, en rueda de prensa Christiana Figueres dijo que considera positivo el acuerdo, si  bien pidió más voluntad política. "Tenemos la tecnología y las finanzas y la ventana de los dos grados centígrados (de aumento en las temperaturas globales) se está cerrando sobre nosotros", insistió.

La delegación española, encabezada por el ministro de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, Miguel Arias Cañete, consideró que el resultado "sienta las bases de una acción contra el cambio climático más fuerte y ambiciosa en el corto plazo y cumple con el objetivo de hacer efectivo el segundo periodo de compromiso a partir del 1 de enero de 2013".

También el Gobierno chino dio hoy la bienvenida al acuerdo, afirmando que "envían una señal positiva a la comunidad internacional" aunque advirtió que "la falta de voluntad de los países desarrollados" dificulta el futuro de las negociaciones. China es actualmente el mayor emisor de dióxido de carbono, pero defiende que son los países desarrollados los que deben limitar en mayor medida sus emisiones, al haber contaminado durante más décadas que las naciones emergentes.

En cuanto a las ONG, agrupadas en la Red de Acción Climática, lamentaron que no se haya conseguido un compromiso por parte de los países desarrollados para aumentar la financiación para el clima hasta alcanzar los 100.000 millones de dólares en 2020.

Lo acordadoEl texto aprobado hace referencia al superávit de emisiones del primer período de compromiso de Kioto, que expira este año, por lo que Australia no comprará derechos de emisión arrastrados del citado período de compromiso. Respecto a la Unión Europea, se menciona que en su paquete energía-clima para el cumplimiento de sus objetivos de reducción de emisiones para el período 2013-2020 no está permitido el uso de estos excedentes.

El acuerdo establece un mecanismo para que cada país examine sus objetivos de reducción de emisiones antes de 2014, con el objetivo de que estos sean más ambiciosos. Además, se reafirma el compromiso alcanzado en la cumbre de Durban (Sudáfrica) de adoptar un protocolo internacional jurídicamente vinculante en 2015, para que entre en vigor en 2020, al término del segundo periodo de Kioto.

En cuanto a la financiación, aunque el acuerdo de Doha presiona a los países desarrollados a anunciar nuevas ayudas financieras para la lucha contra el cambio climático, las condiciona a las circunstancias económicas.

Escasos avances en el Fondo Verde para el ClimaEl texto da un impulso al Fondo Verde para el Clima y se propone que las ayudas a largo plazo de los países desarrollados alcancen los 100.000 millones de dólares al año antes de 2020, algo que se espera se concrete en la cumbre de Varsovia en 2013.

Las partes avanzaron también en la creación de un fondo para que los países en desarrollo afronten los gastos derivados de las pérdidas y daños causados por el cambio climático.

Sobre estos aspectos, en nombre de los pequeños estados isla, el portavoz de Nauru (estado de Micronesia, en el Pacífico), incidió en la importancia de la financiación para mitigación y adaptación, y advirtió de que si esto no se consigue el año que viene "estos estados desaparecerán".

Obama Versus Romney: Everything You Need to Know About Where the Candidates Stand on Energy Policy

RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD
By Daniel J. Weiss and Jackie Weidman, Center for American Progress 
28 de septiembre de 2012 

Clean energy is an important part of the economy of Colorado, which is the location of the first presidential debate on October 3rd.

Colorado’s robust wind industry and 70,000 jobs in green goods and services could suffer if the Production Tax Credit for wind isn’t extended by the end of 2012. The presidential candidates differ on this, as well as other energy issues. Hopefully the Denver debate, scheduled to focus on the economy, will also address energy policies so vital to Colorado and the nation.
The United States is in the midst of significant changes in our energy outlook. We are producing and burning more natural gas for electricity, while reducing coal use. Domestic oil production is at a 15-year high while oil imports are at a 15-year low. Renewable electricity doubled over the past four years, while worldwide carbon pollution and the impacts of climate change grow. The next president will face these and other serious challenges posed by a changing energy world.
President Barack Obama’s first term featured the adoption of essential toxic and carbon pollution reduction measures to protect public health. In addition, he modernized fuel-economy standards for the first time in two decades, which also helped the auto industry; invested in energy efficiency and renewable electricity; and created tens of thousands of jobs.
Gov. Mitt Romney’s energy agenda couldn’t be more different. He would undo new safeguards from mercury, carcinogens, soot, and smog from industrial sources. He opposes the improved fuel-economy standards, and would continue and expand tax breaks for big oil companies, while openly disparaging clean energy and investments in wind power.
In short, there are stark differences between the two presidential candidates that must be discussed on October 3 so Americans have a clear view of the energy path each candidate would lead us down.
Below is a more detailed direct comparison of their positions on the most visible energy challenges facing the nation. Following this chart is documentation on the candidates’ positions:

Oil and gas production
Obama:

• Oil imports lowest since 1997; dropped by 15 percent during term to 42 percent; vowed to cut current oil imports in half by 2020. [[Energy Information Administration, 6/12]
• Domestic oil production is the highest in 15 years. The United States has more drilling rigs at work than the rest of the world combined. [Center for American Progress Action Fund,9/13/12; Energy Information Administration, 9/11/12]
• Crude oil production from federal lands and waters was higher in 2009, 2010 and 2011 than in any of the last three years of the Bush administration. [EIA, 3/14/12]
• Raised worker and environmental safety standards for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, strengthening well design, testing, control equipment, and workplace safety. The Gulf Coast region was not hurt economically by a temporary moratorium, which has the same unemployment as two years ago and had rising personal income in 2011. [White House, 3/30/12, NOLA, 4/15/12]

Romney

• Would open the Florida portion of the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific Outer Continental Shelves, public lands, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to new drilling. Would accelerate drilling permits, short circuiting health and environmental reviews. [MittRomney.com, 2011]
• Defense Department concerned about Florida and Virginia drilling expansion since it could interfere with military training. [Panama City News Herald, 4/4/12]
• Called the temporary moratorium on drilling in the Gulf following the Deepwater Horizon disaster “illegal.” [CBS News, 3/9/12]
• See “Public lands protection”

Big Oil tax breaks
Obama:

• Calls on Congress to end $4 billion in oil tax breaks and to invest in clean energy instead. [White House, 3/28/2012]
• Pledged to cut subsidies for oil, coal, and natural gas internationally, along with  G20 nations. [Economist,10/1/09]

Romney:

• Romney supports the House Republican budget, authored by his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), which preserves $40 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry over a decade. [CAP, 3/20/12]
• Romney’s economic plan would give the big five oil companies–BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Shell–an additional $2.3 billion annual tax cut on top of existing tax breaks they currently receive. [CAPAF, 7/26/12]
• Romney’s plan cuts the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent, but does not make specific mention of oil and gas loopholes which let oil companies pay much lower effective federal rates. [MittRomney.com, 2012]
• Asked directly in an interview about whether he is for or against subsidizing Big Oil, Romney responded: “I’m not sure precisely what big tax breaks we’re talking about.” [Fox News, 4/3/2012]

Clean energy
Obama:

• Federal government invested billions of dollars in renewable energy projects, creating tens of thousands of jobs; doubled generation of (non-hydropower) renewable electricity to 6 percent. [EIA, 7/1/12]
• Supports extension of the production tax credit for wind generated electricity. [White House, 5/22/12]
• “Governor Romney calls [renewable sources of energy] ‘imaginary.’ Congressman Ryan calls them a ‘fad.’ I think they’re the future. I think they’re worth fighting for.” [Climate Progress, 8/28/12]

• “I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.” [State of the Union, 1/24/12]
• Transforming the Pentagon energy use by reducing the military’s dependence on fossil fuels that cost the Pentagon up to $20 billion annually. [National Journal, 4/11/12]

Romney:

• Opposes the extension of the production tax credit for wind energy, which could cost 37,000 jobs in the industry. [Des Moines Register, 7/30/12]
• “In place of real energy, Obama has focused on an imaginary world where government-subsidized windmills and solar panels could power the economy. This vision has failed.” [Columbus Dispatch op-ed, 8/8/12]
• “You can’t drive a car with a windmill on it.” [ThinkProgress, 3/6/2012]
• Endorses the House passed budget authored by Ryan, which gives a 60 percent funding increase to coal, oil, and natural gas, while it decreases funding for research on vehicle batteries and solar projects, and loans to companies to retool to build fuel-efficient cars. [Politico, 4/17/12]

Reduce oil use and imports with efficient vehicles
Obama:

• New modern standards require cars and light trucks to achieve an average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. This, combined with the first round of standards, will save 3.1 million barrels of oil per day in 2030. This is equivalent to the amount of oil we currently import from the Persian Gulf, Colombia, and Venezuela combined. [CAP, 8/28/12]
• Invested in fuel-efficient vehicle and advanced battery research and development to spur job growth and increase international competitiveness; increased affordability and reliability of electric vehicles. [CAP, 8/28/12]
• Proposed a “race to the top” for communities to seek federal investment in public electric vehicle recharging infrastructure. [White House, 3/30/11]

Romney:

• “Gov. Romney opposes the extreme standards that President Obama has imposed, which will limit the choices available to American families,” said campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul. [LA Times, 8/28/12]
• Disparaged the first plug-in hybrid electric Chevrolet Volt as “an idea whose time has not come,” and said, “I’m not sure America was ready for the Chevy Volt.” [Michigan Live, 12/23/11, MSNBC 4/5/12]. EPA says the Volt gets at least 94 miles per gallon.
• Advocates ending the federal loan program helping companies develop and produce efficient cars. [Orange County Register, 10/24/11]
• Supports House passed budget authored by Ryan that would slash investment in alternatives to gasoline powered cars. [House Budget Committee, FY 2013]

Gasoline prices
Obama:

• Commodity Futures Trading Commission should increase market oversight of  Wall Street speculators who have driven up oil prices;, increase penalties for illegal activity. Dodd-Frank Wall Street  Reform and Consumer Protection Act includes rules to limit commodities speculation by Wall Street speculators that do not affect commercial end users. [CNN, 4/17/12; Media Matters, 4/18/12]
• Favors investments in alternatives to gasoline, including electric vehicles and public transportation. [CAP, 8/28/12; American Public Transportation Association, 2/13/12]

Romney

• Would repeal Dodd Frank and opposes reining in Wall Street speculators, calling Obama’s move “gimmickry.” [MittRomney.com, 4/17/12]
• Supports House passed budget authored by Ryan that would cut Commodity Futures Trading Commission funding by nearly $40 million; cuts would hinder the CFTC’s ability to police the oil and other  markets that the Commission oversees.. [House Budget Committee FY 2013; White House, 4/17/12]

Green jobs
Obama:

• Historic level of investment in green jobs sector now with 3.1 million Americans employed according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. [AP, 3/22/12]

Romney:

• Repeatedly called green jobs “fake,” such as calling them “illusory” in an op-ed on his energy plan. [Orange County Register, 10/24/11]

• “[Obama] keeps talking about green jobs, where are they?” [OC Register, 10/24/11; League of Conservation Voters, 9/15/11]  The Economic Policy Institute estimates that there were nearly 1 million clean energy jobs created or saved by the Recovery Act.  [BlueGreen Alliance, 2/17/11]  

Public lands protection
Obama:

• Approved 17 major solar energy installation projects on public lands that are generating 6,000 megawatts of power; will expedite permitting process to increase development in Western states. [Department of Energy, 7/24/12]
• Announced he would “allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes.” [White House, 1/24/12]
• Signed a sweeping public lands bill in 2009 that designated 2 million acres of wilderness and created three national parks. [AP, 3/31/09]
• Used the 1906 Antiquities Act to create three national monuments – Fort Monroe, Virginia; Fort Ord, California; and Chimney Rock, Colorado. These monuments will bring tourists and economic development to these places.. [ClimateProgress, 9/20/12] ]

Romney:

• Romney’s energy plan would give states the authority to allow drilling in National Park Service units and other public lands within state borders. The New York Times noted that “states, as a rule, tend to be interested mainly in resource development.” [NYT, 8/18/12]
• The Romney plan significantly increases the likelihood that drilling could take place in 30 National Park units, including the Flight 93 Memorial and Everglades National Park.  [Center for American Progress, 9/12/12]
• Romney said “I haven’t studied […] what the purpose is of” public lands. But he finds it unacceptable when conservation is “designed to satisfy, let’s say, the most extreme environmentalists, from keeping a population from developing their coal, their gold, their other resources for the benefit of the state.” [McClatchy, 2/16/12]
• Fully embraced the House passed budget, authored by Ryan, which would sell off 3.3 millions of acres of national parks and public lands. [ThinkProgress, 3/21/12]

Climate change
Obama:

• “My plan will continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet – because climate change is not a hoax. More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke.  They’re a threat to our children’s future.” [Climate Progress, 9/6/12]
• Finalized the first ever carbon pollution reduction rules for motor vehicles, which will cut carbon pollution from vehicles built between 2012 and 2025. The standards will slash billions of tons of carbon pollution. [White House, 8/3/2012]
• Proposed the first carbon pollution reduction for new coal-fired power plants. [NPR, 3/27/12]
• State Department is leading a group of countries in a program that cuts global warming pollutants like soot, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons. [NYT, 2/16/2012]

Romney:

• Romney made fun of President Obama’s commitment to fighting global warming at the Republican National Convention when he said “I’m not in this race to slow the rise of the oceans or to heal the planet.” [Climate Progress, 9/19/12]
• “There remains a lack of scientific consensus on the issue — on the extent of the warming, the extent of the human contribution, and the severity of the risk — and I believe we must support continued debate and investigation within the scientific community.” [NYT,9/5/2012]
• “I oppose steps like a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system.” [Science Debate.org, 9/4/12]
• Says the Clean Air Act doesn’t apply to carbon emissions: “My view is that the EPA in getting into carbon and regulating carbon has gone beyond the original intent of that legislation, and I would not take it there.” Would overturn Supreme Court decision by blocking EPA from setting carbon pollution reduction standards.[Politico, 7/18/11; MittRomney.com, 2012] 

Protect public health from mercury, toxic air pollution
Obama:

• Finalized historic standard that limits harmful mercury and air toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants. Proposed rules to reduce mercury and toxic air pollution from industrial boilers, incinerators, and cement manufacturing. Together, these initiatives will result in $187 billion in annual health benefits and would prevent 21,600 premature deaths, 199,000 cases of asthma, and 12,540 hospitalizations annually. [CAPAF, 9/18/12]
• Proposed Cross-state air pollution rule that would save up to 34,000 lives, and $280 billion in economic benefits, annually; rule was struck down in 2-1 federal appeals court decision, but EPA could appeal.  [CAPAF, 9/18/12]

Romney

• Would promptly issue an executive order that “directs all agencies to immediately initiate the elimination of Obama-era regulations that unduly burden the economy or job creation.” [MittRomney.com, 2011]
• “Aggressively” develop all our coal sources. “Coal is America’s most abundant energy source. We have reserves that—at current rates of uses—will last for the next 200 years of electricity production in an industry that directly employs perhaps 200,000 workers.”  [MittRomney.com, 2011]
• Against new EPA regulations of harmful mercury and air pollutants from coal: “I think the EPA has gotten completely out of control for a very simple reason. It is a tool in the hands of the president to crush the private enterprise system, to crush our ability to have energy, whether it’s oil, gas, coal, nuclear.” [The Hill, 12/5/11]
• Romney’s campaign spokesperson falsely claimed that the mercury pollution-reduction standard “costs more than $1,500 for every one dollar reduction in mercury pollution.”  The EPA projects “that for every dollar spent to reduce pollution, Americans get $3 to $9 in health benefits in return.” [Climate Progress, 8/21/12]

Keystone XL pipeline
Obama:

• Delayed decision to permit construction of Keystone XL pipeline in November 2011 until a new route was identified and evaluated. The original proposed pathway crossed  Nebraska’s Sandhills, the recharge zone for the Ogallala Aquifer that supplies water for nearly one-quarter of American agriculture. Nebraska’s Republican governor Dave Heineman also opposed this route.   President Obama noted that the original route could “affect the health and safety of the American people as well as the environment.” [White House, 11/10/11; NRDC, 7/11/11; Nebraska Government, 8/11/11]
• Congress forced President Obama to decide whether to approve or deny the Keystone XL in January 2012 before a new route was selected. He denied it because a new route had not been identified or analyzed. The president said that “the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment.” [White House, 1/18/12]
• Approved the Cushing, Oklahoma to Gulf of Mexico leg of Keystone XL in March to address the over stock of oil in Cushing due to lack of transportation capacity; promised to ensure that construction and operation will proceed in an environmentally sensible way. [CAP,5/5/2012]
• Obama will decide whether to approve TransCanada’s new proposed northern pipeline route in 2013, after the Nebraska state government and the State Department assess the environmental impacts of the new route. [U.S. Department of State, 5/4/2012]

Romney:

• “If I’m President, we’ll build it if I have to build it myself.” [Huffington Post, 5/4/12]
• Used his first TV ad of the general election to say he would approve Keystone XL on “day one” if elected. [The Hill, 5/18/12]

Daniel J. Weiss is a Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress; Jackie Weidman is a Special Assistant for energy policy at the Center for American Progress.
This article was originally published on Climate Progress and was republished with permission.