US-Präsident Barack Obamas grüne Klima- und Energiepolitik

„A Culture Change on Climate Change“ - Schluss mit Spritverschwendung: Präsident Obama kündigt drastische Senkung des erlaubten Spritverbrauchs von amerikanischen Autos an. Bis 2016 dürfen Neuwagen nur noch rund 6,6 Liter pro 100km verbrauchen.

• „The White House Blog - A Culture Change on Climate Change”, 19 May 2009 (mit Video clip) 
• “Obama will US-Autos das Saufen abgewöhnen”, Stern.de, 19.Mai 2009
• „Obama kündigt erstmals landesweite Umweltauflagen für Autos an“, Focus.de, 19.Mai 2009
• "A Strong Signal on Global Warming - President Obama's policies area recipe for fuel inefficiency”, by Robert W. Hahn, New York Times Room for Debate, January 26, 2009

Kenneth B. Green wrote an article in the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) on

"The Climate Gap and the 2008 Presidential Campaign" (January 3rd, 2008)

Climate Change - Car Emissions - New Energy Plan

(Source: internal, Source to be inquired in Office of Erika Mann)

Just after his inauguration, President Obama announced to develop the energy efficiency plan ("New America Energy Plan") You will find an overview about the Obama- Biden plan on the "New Energy for America" here and an overview of the President's decision on the reduction of car emissions in some states, in light of the new plan, below.

According to the NYT, President Obama, on Monday 26, will direct federal regulators to move swiftly on an application by California and 13 other states to set strict automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards and granting California and the other states the right to regulate tailpipe emissions. This would be one of the most emphatic actions that could be taken at this stage, to put show the new administration position on dealing with climate change.

The President's directive to the Environmental Protection Agency directs it to begin work immediately on granting California a waiver, under the Clean Air Act, which allows the state to set standards for automobile emissions stricter than the national rules. California has already won numerous waivers for controls on emissions that cause smog. The Bush administration denied the waiver in late 2007, saying that recently enacted federal mileage rules made the action unnecessary and that allowing California and the 13 other states the right to set their own pollution rules would result in an unenforceable patchwork of environmental law. The auto companies had advocated a denial, saying a waiver would require them to produce two sets of vehicles, one to meet the strict California standard and another that could be sold in the remaining states.

The emissions standards are part of an ambitious California plan to reduce emissions as automotive emissions account for more than one-fifth of all such greenhouse gases. California was joined in its plea by 13 other states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Washington. Three other states have indicated they plan to adopt the California standard. Together they account for about half of the American market for cars and light trucks.

According to a report released by the White House this weekend, these measures are part of the overall plan intended to double renewable energy generating capacity over three years, which would be enough to power six million American homes. It would also pay for 3,000 miles of new or modernized transmission lines as part of a new national electric grid as well as 40 million “smart meters,” which provide instant readouts of electricity uses, on American homes. The financial plan would also help refurbish two million homes and 75 percent of federal building space to better guard against the weather and conserve enough energy to save low-income families $350 a year and the federal government $2 billion a year, according to the report." The White House also said that Mr. Obama wanted to start a “clean energy finance initiative” to leverage $100 million in private sector investments over the next three years through loan guarantees and other financial support.

These regulatory measures and the guidelines of the New America Energy Plan begin a week of efforts to get the stimulus plan through Congress this week (Janaury 26, 2009).

"Mr. Obama’s presidential memorandum will order the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration’s past rejection of the California application. While it stops short of flatly ordering the Bush decision reversed, the agency’s regulators are now widely expected to do so after completing a formal review process. Once they act, automobile manufacturers will quickly have to retool to begin producing and selling cars and trucks that get higher mileage than the national standard, and on a faster phase-in schedule. The auto companies have lobbied hard against the regulations and challenged them in court." "Beyond acting on the California emissions law, officials said, Mr. Obama will direct the Transportation Department to quickly finalize interim nationwide regulations requiring the automobile industry to increase fuel efficiency standards to comply with a 2007 law, rules that the Bush administration decided at the last minute not to issue. To avoid losing another year, Mr. Obama will order temporary regulations to be completed by March so automakers have enough time to retool for vehicles sold in 2011. Final standards for later years will be determined by a separate process that under Mr. Obama’s order must take into consideration legal, scientific and technological factors. He will also order federal departments and agencies to find new ways to save energy and be more environmentally friendly. And he will highlight the elements in his $825 billion economic stimulus plan intended to create jobs around renewable energy."

"The California law, which was originally meant to take effect in the 2009 model year, requires automakers to cut emissions by nearly a third by 2016, four years ahead of the federal timetable. The result would be an increase in fuel efficiency in the American car and light truck fleet to roughly 35 miles per gallon from the current average of 27."

The Clean Air Act allows California to seek a waiver from federal rules if it can demonstrate that its own regulations are more stringent, and needed to address its air pollution problems. California’s trend-setting air resources board has done this successfully more than 50 times. Other states can adhere to either the California or the federal standard.