Further behind than ever, we need to act on climate change

Seventeen years after Rio, 12 years after Kyoto, and just weeks before Copenhagen, when 192 countries will try to create a global climate treaty, we are further behind than ever in our fight against climate change.

There is one major difference now, however. There is — finally — widespread recognition that climate change poses a grave and growing threat to our environment, to our economy, and to our security.

Now comes the hard part. We need to take action. And that is why Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and I have introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and America Power Act.

The bill is bold, it is comprehensive, and it is all about security — America’s economic security, America’s energy security, America’s national security.

Some of us have been at this a long time and we know full well that passing this legislation won’t be easy.

In 1988, on an already hot June day, Al Gore and I were there for the first Senate hearing on climate change. And four years later, Al and I and a group of senators went to Rio where we worked with 177 nations to put in place a voluntary framework on climate change and greenhouse gas reductions.

But through most of those years, Washington was used to letting big oil and special interests stand between us and our goals.

For too long, the missing ingredient needed for America to address global climate change was leadership. But with his election last November, President Barack Obama has opened a new chapter in America’s leadership on the environment.

In fact, I believe that today America’s leadership — in the White House and in Congress — is more willing and better positioned than ever before to take action, finally. That’s why in February, the president signed an economic recovery package investing $80 billion in clean energy, the largest such investment ever by the United States.

That’s why in his first address to Congress, the president called for passage of comprehensive climate change legislation. And that’s why, just a couple of weeks ago, Sen. Boxer and I introduced such legislation, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. We can’t afford to waste any more time. As a matter of human security, national security, and moral leadership we must take action. We need to do all we can to make sure today’s climate challenge does not become tomorrow’s climate catastrophe and these do not become, as the Bible says,  “the years that the locust hath eaten.”

I understand that the divisions in our country on how to deal with climate change are deep. But I refuse to accept the argument that the United States cannot lead the world in addressing global climate change. So does Sen. Lindsey Graham. And that’s why the South Carolina Republican and I have joined forces — to find consensus that leads to a climate change solution and energy independence, but which also adheres to our core principles.

The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act is the foundation on which we can reach that consensus. There are plenty in Washington who give us little chance of getting Congress to pass a comprehensive climate change bill. But our chances have certainly improved as a result of Sen. Graham courageously stepping up and setting us on the path to the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster.

I’m confident that with honest give-and-take and genuine bipartisanship, we’ll come together to put forward proposals acceptable to both parties.

At the global climate summit in Copenhagen, every country must do its part to craft an effective treaty. But, America must lead. And like it or not — in success or failure — we will lead by example. Our words and especially our actions will set the momentum level and define the boundaries for what is possible.

The House has passed climate change legislation. The Senate can further empower our negotiators to sit down at the table in Copenhagen and insist that the rest of the world join us in producing a new international agreement on global warming. We can enact strong clean energy legislation and mobilize the international community to come together in Copenhagen.

Our actions alone won’t be enough, though. We need to use them especially to persuade China to form a partnership capable of acting boldly enough to prevent a climate catastrophe. China and America are the world’s largest emitter today and history’s largest cumulative emitter and, therefore, have a special responsibility at Copenhagen.

Ultimately, we will be measured by what we can achieve together.

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “When the wind changes directions, there are those who build walls and those who build windmills.” I say, Let’s build windmills. Or rather, wind turbines. And solar panels.  And hybrid automobiles. And a smart power grid. And high-speed rail. And a whole new way of powering America.

Kerry is chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet in the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. He is also on the Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Subcommittee in the Senate Finance Committee.