Obama sees "convergence" on climate action in US

Oct 23, 2009, 18:28 GMT

Washington - US President Barack Obama said Friday he was confident that Congress can pass legislation aimed at curbing greenhouse-gas emissions, but would not say whether this can be done before December's critical summit in Copenhagen.

'We are seeing a convergence,' Obama said in a speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as the Senate is ramping up discussions of climate legislation that would force US companies to limit their pollution output.

Obama pointed to some prominent Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who have voiced support for the cap-and-trade bill, which is effectively designed to put a price on carbon emissions, the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.

'This should not be a partisan issue,' Obama said. 'Everybody in America should have a stake in legislation that can transform our energy system into one that's far more efficient, far cleaner and provides energy independence for America.'

The Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee will begin hearings on the bill next week, inviting top administration officials, company executives, environmental groups and think-tanks to testify.

But prospects for the bill remain unclear in the Senate. Many Republicans and some Democrats, chiefly from coal producing states, are wary of its impact on the US economy.

The White House has admitted that a bill is unlikely to be approved before December's Copenhagen meeting, where government negotiators will attempt to thrash out a global climate treaty.

US action is considered critical to agreeing a treaty, as are the actions of emerging economies - and growing polluters - like China and India.