The Waxman Markey discussion draft “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009”, released March 31, begins the serious debate in the U.S. Congress that will lay the foundation for the U.S. to take a leadership role in putting the world on a path to solving global warming. The bill includes the key ingredients necessary for a transition to a clean energy future: energy efficiency, renewable energy, modernization of the electrical grid, and a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

The discussion draft is 648 pages long, and these are first impressions based on a less-than-thorough reading. (Click on more to read the highlights.) [Read more…]