This is the first post in a multi-part series focusing on the proposals by the U.S. presidential candidates on climate change.

Regardless of who wins the primary, if a Democrat wins the White House in 2008 there will be increased attention on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Each candidates formulation is generally the same, with some combination of support for a cap-and-trade system, reducing dependence on oil, creating new technology jobs in the U.S., and otherwise protecting the environment and being a leader for the world.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): Clinton, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is a vocal advocate for reducing carbon emissions, supporting a plan to cut emissions by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. She supports a cap-and-trade system, with all permits being auctioned rather than allocated. When the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted on the Lieberman-Warner bill, she offered an amendment with these changes. She has also proposed creation of a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund for alternative energy projects, an increase in CAFE standards to 55 mpg by 2030, and doubling investment in basic energy research.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): Obama calls himself a “champion of the national effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions,” supporting plans to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050. He favors implementing a cap-and-trade system, with an auction for 100% of the credits. Obama has pledged to spend $150 billion over ten years on green energy supplies and creating new jobs in the sector. He also is an advocate for raising fuel efficiency standards for automobiles, and is airing a television ad in New Hampshire highlighting his stance.

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC): Of all the Democratic campaigns, the Edwards campaign describes itself as the most “out front” on environmental issues and regulation. Edwards was the first to make his campaign carbon neutral by purchasing offsets. He also has offered a plan to implement a cap-and-trade system starting in 2010, reducing emissions by 15% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, negotiate a new climate treaty, and auctioning $10 billion from repealing subsidies to oil and gas companies to dedicate to clean energy research. He is a vocal opponent of the Lieberman-Warner climate change bill, which won him the endorsement of Friends of the Earth.

Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM): Richardson may have the most substantive record on climate change of all the candidates because of his role in creating the Western Climate Initiative along with other Western governors and due to his past experience as the U.S. Secretary of Energy under President Clinton. The initiative takes a regional approach to acting on climate change, which won praise from the Natural Resources Defense Council. His plan for climate change includes doubling CAFE standards to 50 mpg by 2020, establishing a national renewable portfolio standard of 30% by 2020 and 50% by 2040, and implementing a cap-and-trade system for carbon, reducing emissions 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2040.

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