Issues in Brief |
Leadership - Key player in recent Senate fights against drilling in the Arctic refuge
- Led fight to increase fuel efficiency of cars and trucks
- Made well-received campaign speeches on environmental and energy issues
Energy - Led fight to increase fuel efficiency of cars and trucks
- Key player in recent fights against drilling in the Arctic refuge
Global Warming
- Strongly supports policies (like increased fuel efficiency) that would reduce greenhouse gases
- Supports re-engaging with the international community to go beyond Kyoto
Clean Air
- Supports reducing pollution, including carbon emissions, from power plants
- Supports enforcing existing Clean Air Act rules for older plants
Clean Water
- Opposes limiting the authority of the Clean Water Act
Public Lands
- Supports wilderness protection and funding for federal land purchases
- Opposes the "Healthy Forests " plan
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Summary
With a history of engagement that extends back to the first Earth Day in 1970,Senator Kerry is one of America 's premier environmental leaders. His voting record has earned him the highest lifetime LCV ranking of all the presidential candidates, and he has taken a leadership role in promoting higher fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, combating attempts to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and in overturning efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act. On a range of domestic issues -from clean air to clean water to public lands -Kerry has repeatedly staked out pro-environment positions. His record on international issues is equally distinguished: he sponsored legislation to incorporate environmental protections into trade negotiations and has participated in international climate change negotiations beginning at the 1992 Earth Summit and extending through Kyoto. In his run for the presidency, Kerry has made the environment a central issue, devoting several significant forums to his plans for environmental action if elected. Kerry participated in LCV 's June 2003 presidential environmental debate.
The Candidate in His Own Words
I believe that with leadership from the White House we can take bold steps toward protecting our environment. I hope to put an end to the false argument that America must choose between a growing economy and a clean environment. Americans can unite behind policies that will protect our natural resources and create jobs inventing, designing, manufacturing and constructing the clean technologies of tomorrow. If we offer America a better choice than the divisive rhetoric of the Bush Administration and others who want to turn back the clock on environmental protections, we can build a better future. As President, I hope to enact a federal budget with strong funding for public health and environmental programs; help the millions of Americans facing environmental injustice; enact an energy policy that will protect the environment and make America more secure, including the development of renewable fuels and energy efficiency; significantly reduce sulfur, nitrogen, carbon and mercury emissions; enact policies to protect our water, including reducing runoff pollution; protect our national parks and wild lands for future generations; reduce the toxic chemicals released into our environment; establish America as a leader the international effort to protect the global environment, including the development of a binding treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a global plan to protect our oceans; craft free trade agreements that protect workers and the environment; and create thousands of good jobs developing clean energy and environmental technologies and infrastructure.
- John Kerry, responding to the League of Conservation Voters ' presidential questionnaire.
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John Kerry