Campaign 2008
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THE ISSUE: ENVIRONMENT

John McCain Photo by AP

John McCain

  • Led Senate effort to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency standards.
  • Favors plan that would see greenhouse gas emissions cut by 60 percent by 2050.
  • Co-sponsored bill that would set mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions to 2004 levels by 2012 and to 1990 levels by 2020
  • Broke with President Bush on global warming.
  • Has voted for some fuel economy increases in the past, but says he would negotiate with automakers on the appropriate increase if he were president
Barack Obama Photo by AP

Barack Obama

  • Ten-year, $150 billion program to produce "climate friendly" energy supplies
  • Says he would pay for the program with a carbon auction requiring businesses to bid competitively for the right to pollute
  • Supports an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the level recommended by top scientists
  • Aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
  • Like McCain, sponsored earlier legislation that would set mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Supports tougher fuel-efficiency standards.