The future of climate policy

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), the Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (whose name has recently been floated as the Obama administration’s possible Secretary of Energy), discussed the challenges facing Congress over U.S. climate policy and the role the next administration will need to play.

Speaking at a Point Carbon and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change discussion on the future of climate policy, Bingman said that Congress does not need more subcommittees to improve energy and climate policy, but that those already in existence should should find a way to collaborate more efficiently.

Bingaman also discussed the steps the administration will need to take, explaining that there will be a need to balance the direction that Congress decides upon with international policy goals.

The senator touched upon the problem posed to cap-and-trade policies by carbon offsets, namely that it is hard to determine whether the offsets bought are actually effective.

“I’m not sure how we legislate a solution to that. I’m just citing that as a factor we need to keep in mind,” said Bingaman.