He also sent a personal letter to George w

Climate change and the environment are now part of the American public debate, as evidenced by the success of the film of Al Gore (1). But they earn gently field, not only in the local political action, but also in political strategies.

Faithful to its role of pioneer in these folders, California created the event, last August, by legislating on the control and limits of greenhouse gases ( 25 by 2020). With its central role in the negotiations that led to the vote, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been its trappings of "green" Governor on the eve of the elections where he ran his re-election. In October, he made visit to the Republican Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, to discuss environment. He also sent a personal letter to George w. Bush to deplore the absence of a coherent federal policy to combat climate change. The US President, while denounced early in the year of American addiction to oil and found it necessary to develop clean energy in the electricity and transport. But he continues to advocate for volunteering to reduce emissions.

In any case, the California does more rider only. Twelve States including California, of course before the Supreme Court of the refusal of the Bush administration to legislate on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Among them, seven States of the Northeast, including New York, which have developed in August their joint project to reduce pollutant emissions by 10 by 2019. Will this program target, as a first step, only electricity producers.

Pressure on Washington

Municipalities, before even States, have, also, mobilized. October 26, 323 cities including San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles had already responded to the appeal launched in 2005 by the Mayor of Seattle. An appeal in which it undertook to apply, even to exceed the objectives set out by the Kyoto Protocol to the United States (reduction of polluting emissions to 7 percent below the levels of 1990 by 2012). The signatories also undertake to put pressure on Washington which has refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol to support such initiatives on a larger scale. They also want to convince the delegates to vote a law to control of the carbon on the European model of tradeable permits.

On the other hand, a growing number of States are increasing efforts to development of energy from renewable "clean", coal and natural gas power plants are responsible for more than 35 of harmful emissions in the country. Currently, 25 States have set objectives quantified and dated renewable energy, they tighten periodically. In California, for example, electricity distributors must, from here in 2010, get 20 of their electricity from renewable sources. A boon for the clean energy, including the market sector increased in 2005 by 50. Will in addition, starting next January, a public programme of $ 2.9 billion Fund over ten years the deployment of solar panels on 1 million roofs in California, covering 5 of electricity (3,000 MW) needs. By contrast, the Federal program implemented in 2005 tax subsidies to individuals on solar panels ends at end of 2007.

Still waiting the entry in the running of a new Congress in Washington in early 2007 to assess the progress of the work at the federal level. Only certainty: Green America is the prerogative of any party. The debate of federal elected officials on the reduction of greenhouse gases is structured around two bills introduced in the Senate as early as 2003 (by Democrat Lieberman and Republican McCain) and the House of representatives in 2004 (for the Gilchrest Republican and Democrat Olver). The ambitions of these texts are modest: they are designed to reduce harmful emissions from 2010 to the level of those of 2000. But the reflection is underway and the converts to recruit one by one of the two sides of the aisle..