June 27: The US House of Representatives narrowly approved a historic climate bill that for the first time would force US companies to limit greenhouse-gas emissions blamed for global warming.

The 219-212 vote marks a major victory for President Barack Obama, who has made global warming and clean energy legislation a top priority for his administration. But the legislation deeply divided US politicians, businesses and even climate groups.

The outcome of the House vote was uncertain to the very last minute: Only eight Republicans voted in favour and 43 Democrats voted against the measure. The bill now moves to the Senate, which could have an even tougher time getting the measure passed. Groups on both sides have also vowed to continue pushing for changes as the legislation makes its way through the US Congress.

The US, which together with China emits about half of the world s greenhouse gases, has long faced pressure from other governments to more aggressively reduce its carbon footprint. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who met Obama earlier Friday at the White House, backed the House bill as "an enormous success, which I would not have thought possible a year ago". The mandatory emissions curbs approved Friday were long resisted by former president George W. Bush.

The Obama administration hopes the bill will bolster the country s bargaining position at a critical meeting in Copenhagen in December, where governments are expected to thrash out a new global treaty to combat climate change. "It s a huge boost to the international negotiations," Jennifer Haverkamp of the Environmental Defence Fund, a non-partisan environmental group, told DPA.

"The negotiations have really been on hold, waiting to see what the United States will do," she said. The centrepiece of the legislation is a so-called cap-and-trade system, which already exists in Europe and creates a market for carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming.

Companies would get pollution allowances that can be traded between dirtier and cleaner firms. Supporters and opponents of the bill had been lobbying furiously throughout the week. Climate, business and industry groups have been out in force with television advertisements and mobilising their supporters to call their congressional representatives. Lawmakers voiced their concern by saying   "The jobs will go to China and the (US) economy will go to hell," said Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California. "Wake up America!" Obama hopes a cap-and-trade system will cut US emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels - about seven percent below 1990 levels - by 2020,and nearly 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

Obama earlier Friday said the US had failed to tackle climate change in the past and acknowledged the country was lagging behind Europe in reducing emissions. "Europe in many ways over the last several years has moved more rapidly than the United States," Obama said after his meeting with Merkel. He was "impressed" with Germany s "foresight and commitment to clean energy". "It is my hope that the United States will match that commitment today," Obama said of the House vote.

 

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