Barack, Hillary and John - How Green are They?

The presidential race continues, with Pennslyvania's big democratic primary this Tuesday. The race gets closer and closer, and we're trying to figure out who will take on John McCain in the fall race for the presidency. Will it be Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama? 

As you listen to the results and do the mental comparisons in your head, here is something else to consider: Where does your candidate stand on everything green?

Grist.org has summed up the positions on global warming of our three main candidates. Here they are, below.

Hillary Clinton has long recognized climate change as a problem but was vague about solutions until early November 2007, when she released one of the most comprehensive and well-researched energy plans of the campaign season. Like plans offered earlier by John Edwards and Barack Obama, it proposes a cap-and-trade system that would cut greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, and would auction 100 percent of the pollution permits. Overall, the two biggest areas of focus are efficiency and investment. The former would boost standards for everything from vehicles to buildings to the electricity grid; the latter would channel money to renewables, plug-in hybrids, and carbon sequestration. Clinton would also create a National Energy Council to coordinate action across federal agencies. The plan is not radically different from those put forward by her Democratic competitors, but in typical Clinton fashion, all the i's are dotted and t's crossed. -- DR

Barack Obama was largely platitudinous on energy and climate for the early part of his campaign. His rhetoric soared, but his policy ideas were tepid. He even, to the horror of greens, did some cheerleading for liquefied coal. All was forgiven when he released his energy and climate plan in October 2007. It was thoughtful, detailed, expansive, and ambitious. His cap-and-trade system would aim for 80 percent emission reductions by 2050 and would auction 100 percent of the pollution permits. The proposal also described a $150 billion investment plan to boost clean energy and create green jobs, along with fine-grained proposals to boost efficiency, build a smart electricity grid, and encourage public transportation. -- DR

John McCain has been outspoken about global warming. He introduced the first major bill in the Senate to address it: the Climate Stewardship Act of 2003, cosponsored with Joe Lieberman. Reintroduced in 2005 and again in 2007, it would establish a cap-and-trade system aimed at lowering greenhouse-gas emissions 65 percent by 2050 -- and heavily supporting nuclear power. McCain has supported modest increases in fuel-efficiency standards, and has spoken out against handouts to Big Oil. He used to be almost alone in Congress in opposing ethanol subsidies, but since launching his current presidential campaign, he has changed his tune. -- DR

For more information on the candidates green position, check out this chart or the candidate's websites.

Happy voting...