President Obama sets out plans to tackle climate, orders improved car efficiency standards

Mon 26 January 2009 View all news

Barack Obama, the new US President, has signed two executive orders intended to improve the environmental performance of the US' road sector. The first raises federal car and light truck fuel efficiency standards and the second orders the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its refusal to allow California and other states to impose their own stricter controls on vehicle emissions.

Mr Obama ordered the transportation department to compel the car industry to make more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The order would require all new vehicles in 2011 to achieve at least 35mpg.

In a speech setting out his energy agenda, the new US President set out a series of initiatives marking a sharp break from the policies of President Bush, who was accused of ignoring climate change.

Mr Obama said (reported in The Guardian): “the days of Washington dragging its heels on global warming are over" and “America is ready to lead” .

The announcement has also been made of the appointment of Todd Stern, a former senior official in the Clinton administration, as the new administration's chief envoy on climate change. Mr Stern will lead the Obama administration’s efforts to help broker a replacement for the Kyoto treaty when it expires in 2012.


 

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