Frances Beinecke: Why We Need a Climate Bill Now, Not Another Energy Bill

Blog" /> Blog" /> Blog" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-02-04-switchboard.gif" The economic stimulus package Congress just passed will do a good job of launching America toward a cleaner, more secure energy future. But it is just a start. The stimulus package alone can't take us where we need to go. The question is: what step do we take next? Some lawmakers are working on energy bills, including a renewable energy standard and energy efficiency measures. Energy legislation could include excellent ways to jumpstart the economy and confront global warming. But we don't have the time to work our way through an a la carte menu of energy solutions. The planet's health is deteriorating too rapidly to digest multiple incremental courses. We need a comprehensive climate bill, and we need to start working on it now. I recently returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos, where global warming was a central topic of conversation . Participants from around the world welcomed ... (link)