Reflections on the failure to pass US climate and energy legislation

In 2010, the environmental community (including Oak Foundation's grantees) engaged in an unprecedented effort to pass climate legislation in the US to cap and put a price on carbon dioxide emissions. The campaign had strong leadership and extraordinary financial support. Unfortunately, it failed. Some of the causes were under the community’s control and some were not. For example, the Obama Administration gave priority to the passage of US health care legislation. Intense and contentious, this debate exhausted the political will of many in the Senate.  The struggling economy, combined with the vocal opposition of a rapidly rising Tea Party, dramatically increased the odds against a successful outcome. At the same time, the environmental community was unable to mobilise its base support or to hold members of Congress accountable for bad decision making. Neither could the community compete with the tremendous resources and strength of its opposition — the fossil fuel industry — which funnelled millions of dollars into lobbying Congress and outspent proponents of the legislation at least seven-fold.

Although some form of carbon pricing — whether it is a carbon tax or cap and trade — is essential to any meaningful climate policy, it is not sufficient to reduce emissions commensurate with need. Since it is also not clear when the door of political opportunity to price CO2 will next open, enforcement of existing legislation, improved regulation and technological research and development are crucial to controlling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Proponents must work at state and regional levels to create models for federal action to reduce today’s emissions, and they must continue to expand and mobilise their support bases. Above all, holding politicians accountable, especially in the face of the deployment of unparalleled financial resources by the fossil fuel industry, will be pivotal to achieving ultimate success.