John Edwards on climate change

CBS News : Katie Couric Asks The Candidates In “Primary Questions:" Is The Global Warming Threat Overblown?

Edwards: It seems to me that every time we get more scientific information it indicates the problem is more severe, more serious than we though. So, no, I don’t think it’s being over-hyped.

Couric: What three things would you do about it?

Edwards: Have a national cap on carbon emissions. I’d make polluters pay, people who below the cap are still putting out carbon dioxide. And that money from making the polluters pay for a permit to do that should be invested in clean, renewable sources of energy, wind, solar, fuels. We have to clean up our act. As we start cleaning up our act, I think we’re in a place to be able to go to China, to India, to the other countries that need to be part of the solution and say “we’re developing the technology. We’re willing to make this technology available to you. But we’re gonna have to solve this problem together.”

Citizens for Global Solutions : I believe that the U.S. should actively participate in binding international agreements regarding climate change. I have created an energy plan that calls for the capping of US carbon emissions to reduce greenhouse gas production by 20 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050. My plan also calls for the investment in and implementation of clean energy technologies. These technologies will require a significant sum of money for both research and implementation. This plan will not matter at all if developing nations continue to lack the means to reduce emissions as they industrialize. I believe developing countries must be included in any climate change treaty. To bring them to the table, I will share America’s clean energy technology in exchange for binding greenhouse reduction commitments.