Latest climate talk: a bill without cap-and-trade

Wednesday we reported the dimming chances of a 2010 climate bill may hinge on its ability to create jobs. Now after President Obama's call for climate legislation in the State of the Union address, lawmakers are discussing proposals that would reduce carbon emissions, but not include a cap-and-trade system for emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases, Richard Cowan and Timothy Gradner of Reuters report. "It's open to how you price carbon," Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry told the reporters. "People need to relax and look at all the ways you might price carbon. We're not pinned down to one approach."

Kerry is working with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) to include "incentives for nuclear, offshore oil drilling and clean technology jobs," the reporters write. Kerry told them he wants to outline a comprehensive bill that could be considered this spring but doesn't want to be tied down to a firm deadline. Graham added that Obama's opening the door for nuclear power and offshore oil drilling in his speech helped efforts for a "hybrid system" for reducing U. S. carbon emissions. (Read more)