16 June 2009 | Luca Del Buono

 

The Obama administration's top climate change scientists will unveil a report on Tuesday that details the impact of global warming on the United States and argues for fast action against it.

The report by the U.S. Global Climate Research Program is billed as "a comprehensive scientific report on current and pending impacts of global climate change in the United States, and why it is important to act now, rather than later, to minimize those impacts.

"Rather than a simple release on paper or online, the report is being released at a news conference by John Holdren, who heads President Barack Obama's Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.

The report's conclusions are expected to be in line with the administration's support for a market-based "cap and trade" system to limit emissions of the climate-warming gas carbon dioxide, which is emitted by coal-fired power plants, fossil-fueled vehicles and other industrial and natural sources.

A bill to set up this kind of system is moving through the U.S. House of Representatives now, with approval by a key committee on May 22 and a possible vote by the full House by August.

Democratic supporters say they want the bill to become law this year, but the outlook in the Senate is unclear.

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Source: Reuters

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