> In a new, major policy decision, Obama will bypass Congress with - TopicsExpress

> In a new, major policy decision, Obama will bypass Congress with a plan forcing power plants to cut their emissions by 30% (from 2005 levels) over 15 years. Coal produced an estimated 74% of total CO2 emissions in the U.S. in 2012, compared to other forms of electricity generation like natural gas and petroleum. The plan represents one of the biggest actions taken by the U.S. government — and the biggest taken by any U.S. president — to slow climate change. > In two lines, heres what you need to know: Nationwide, by 2030, this rule would achieve CO2 emission reductions from the power sector of approximately 30% from CO2 emission levels in 2005, the proposed regulation says. This new Obama Doctrine on climate change will, in essence, promote other forms of energy, including wind, solar and nuclear; it will also provide bargaining leverage in international talks when the U.S. asks other nations to curb their emissions ( China ). [...] > Obamas new EPA plan comes in the wake of a massive new study by the White House that is being hailed as the definitive report on the impact of carbon pollution in the U.S. It asserts that climate change is not just real — its also creating catastrophe around the country. > That report, produced in early May, warned that water is growing scarcer in the driest regions of the U.S. and heavy rains are becoming more common in the wettest regions. Heat waves are now not only a regular occurrence, but are also more severe than ever. Floods and rising waters are impacting not only Americas farmland, but also urban centers like Miami and New York City. Wildfires are growing worse. Forests are being consumed by insects that have seen a population boom in the warmer climate. Thunderstorms and hurricanes are more menacing. In March, the UN published an extensive report on rising sea levels and the increasing acidification of the oceans. > The EPA tweeted, When it comes to climate change, most costly thing to do is to do nothing. > This could be the watershed moment for climate change.