Green by the Numbers: Barack Obama on energy independence and environment
Green by the Numbers takes a look at where leading Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; and leading Republican presidential candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney stand on the environment, energy independence and climate change. "We have not fallen behind on energy due to a lack of ingenuity or initiative from the American people ... Make no mistake - developing the next generation of energy will be one of the greatest challenges that this generation of Americans will ever face. It will not be easy. It will not come without cost or without sacrifice. And if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, they are either fooling themselves or trying to fool you," from a speech by Senator Barack Obama.
- Supports a cap and trade system of flexible environmental regulation that sets a limit on emission of greenhouse gases. Companies who can easily meet these limits can sell credits to companies who cannot meet and may exceed the emission limits.
- Supports carbon sequestration and reforestation.
- Supports investments in renewable energy, biofuels and clean energy.
- Supports the goal of raising fuel standards for new cars to 40 mpg by 2020.
- Supports oil independence with a goal of 60 billion gallons in US produced biofuels by 2030.
- Supports improving energy efficiency 50 percent by 2030.
- Supports a standard that all new buildings be carbon neutral by 2030.
- Supports clean coal.
- Supports nuclear power.















