Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, points out that the scientific community is in overwhelming agreement that (1) planet Earth is warming, (2) the primary cause is carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels, and (3) action is needed in the US now to prevent further warming. She asserts that progress can be made because 20% of US emissions come from cars and trucks for which efficiency standards can be improved by up to 27% without compromising performance. One third of US emissions result from energy generation for buildings, and substantial opportunities exist for increased efficiency. The McCain-Lieberman 2003 Climate Stewardship Act a market-based approach to cap greenhouse gas emissions at 2000 levels by 2010. The US in not leading the way in addressing climate change but has the means to do so.
Reference
Claussen, E., 2004: An effective approach to climate change. Science, 306, 816.