2020 candidate John Delaney pitches vastly unusual climate change plan

(The Guardian, 23 May 2019) Maryland congressman wants to capture carbon dioxide pollution heating the planet and transport it in pipelines criss-crossing US.

The first three Democratic presidential candidates to declare their plans to tackle the climate crisis are focussing on setting deadlines to neutralize US pollution. But one Democrat is proposing something vastly different. Environmental advocates are likely to find it unacceptable, but some experts say it might be necessary.

Maryland congressman and long shot 2020 candidate John Delaney wants to scale up technology to capture the carbon dioxide pollution heating the planet, and transport it in pipelines crisscrossing the country.

Polluting facilities from America’s industrial regions in the midwest and Gulf South would send their carbon to Texas to be used in oil drilling operations. The federal government would use the money currently going toward fossil fuel subsidies to help fund the effort. He also backs a tax on carbon pollution that he says could cut emissions 91% by mid-century.

Environmentalists are likely to oppose the plan because it would allow the continued use of fossil fuels and because it would require a vast network of new pipelines.

But Delaney said international science shows humans will have to pull carbon from the atmosphere – in addition to rapidly slowing emissions – to avoid the worst of climate change.

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The Guardian, 23 May 2019: 2020 candidate John Delaney pitches vastly unusual climate change plan