8 Billion in grants are planned for lines TGV 4

Is the Obama America about to operate one of the most spectacular corners of its history by breaking with the eight Bush years marked by a quasi-indifférence in the fight against climate change, at least at the federal level Since his election on January 20, the new American President ever to give opinion committed to to prove its willingness to make the environment a priority of his mandate to remain intact despite the seriousness of the crisis. There, in the mega-stimulus package of $ 787 billion over ten years he reached not bad for adoption by the Congress last month, a good part of his ambitious programme electoral "New Energy for America". According to calculations, 75 more than 110 billion dollars are spent on initiatives related to climate, 60, believes HSBC, should be spent between 2009 and 2010. With two essential positions, the improvement and management of energy efficiency (more than 44 billion dollars) and investments in clean energy (31 billion), including through an unprecedented infrastructure effort. 8 Billion in grants are planned for lines TGV, 4.5 billion to renovate the saturated electrical grid, as much for the isolation of the federal public buildings... Also registered 21 billion intended among other things, tax exemptions to encourage the development of renewable energies (solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels), in form of tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles, etc. Measures which must be leveraged for the contributions of private funds. A "task force" has to be established by the Minister of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to identify places adequate in the country and offshore for development on a large scale of these clean energy.

To serve its determination, Barack Obama chose a shock team, led by its Secretary of State for energy, Steven Chu, Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997, and Carol Browner, former Director of the Agency for the protection of the environment, who took the head of a coordinating energy-climate Council attached to the White House.

Not harder to outsource overseas jobs

And to convince, it is based on two arguments: the first is the reduction of the dependence of the United States from foreign oil. As such, the approach does no nuclear (20 of energy produced in the United States). Steven Chu reminded recently that it was "an essential part of the energy mix" of the United States, alongside of clean coal and the storage of CO2, not without announce the creation of a commission of experts to "develop a strategy of long term comprising a radioactive waste management plan".

The second argument, what are green jobs. "Invest 100 billion in the oil industry, for example, creates approximately 542.000 jobs;" "the same amount spent in a green infrastructure program creates almost 4 times more", says Bracken Hendricks, the Center for American Progress, a "think tank" close to the Obama administration. More jobs thus and, especially, of "good jobs" little harder to outsource overseas. An argument of weight then that unemployment flies.

Yet, despite the waltz of billion and the voluntarism of the new administration, the Green plan of Obama contains uncertainties. And not least. One of its major axes, is the establishment of a market for emission rights of gases greenhouse, a "cap and trade", on the European model. Objective: reduce U.S. emissions by their level of 1990 by 2020 and reduce them by 80 by 2050. The White House wants to auction 100 of the carbon allowances and awaiting even 650 million of revenue to the horizon 2019. This objective has stoked passions among industrialists, in an America that is responsible of more than 20 of global greenhouse gas. At a meeting this month, a group of bosses including those of General Electric, Duke Energy and General Motors have strongly challenged the President on the subject, asking him to introduce, at least initially, permits to pollute free. "But in this case, replied Obama, can never be the real price of the thing." Not without adding as soon as indeed a too expensive system for enterprises was not viable. An attitude consistent with its method: set out the basic principles, obtain financing, and then accept the discussion, without "susceptibilities of copyright". He has already asked Congress to develop legislation, and the energy and Commerce of the House of representatives commission directed by the very green Henry Waxman, is hard at work, hoping to introduce a Bill in may for a vote in 2009 or, more probably, in 2010. More than a dozen of projects of "cap & trade" more or less binding already were, in vain, presented to the Congress in recent years. The resistors are multiple, from the world of business, who shouts the distortion of competition, of elected representatives who judge the bad timing, and even some experts, including the Obama team, who now argue for a carbon tax (see page XX). "The United States have already taken much of Europe behind." They have the technical tools, including through their experience of a market for established SO2 in the 1990s, to fight against acid rain. But, taking into account the heaviness of implementation of such a market, if the proceedings are lengthy, their reduction targets will become unsustainable. "In this case, a tax would indeed faster to implement and more egalitarian", notes Pierre Leplatois of SIA Board.

Despite this conundrum, Barack Obama retains two key strengths, support of public opinion and strong action for climate already engaged in more than 20 States, especially California and the northeast of the country.