Campaign 2012: Climate Change and Energy

As the struggling economy and demand for jobs consume the American public’s attention, climate policy has become a second-tier political issue. Although most economists advocate for putting a price on greenhouse gases through a carbon tax or cap-and-trade program, there is little political appetite to do so. Will the next president be able to make climate and energy policy a national priority, perhaps as a component of fiscal reform, or will he seek alternative energy policies? In the context of increasing global energy needs, how can the United States ensure its energy independence?

On June 11, the Campaign 2012 project at Brookings held a discussion on climate change and energy, the seventh in a series of forums that identify and address the 12 most critical issues facing the next president. Darren Samuelsohn of POLITICO moderated a panel discussion with Brookings experts Ted Gayer, Katherine Sierra and Charles Ebinger, who presented recommendations to the next president.

After the program, panelists took questions from the audience.

You can follow the conversation on this event on Twitter using the hashtag #BIClimate or on our @BICampaign2012 Twitter feed.

Download papers from the event:

• Linking Climate Policy to Fiscal and Environmental Reform, by Ted Gayer 
• Five Major Energy Problems the Next President Has to Face, by Charles Ebinger and Govinda Avasarala 
• World Leadership for an International Problem, by Katherine Sierra
   

Campaign 2012: Twelve Independent Ideas for Improving American Public Policy is an indispensable guide to the key questions facing White House hopefuls in 2012.