Congressional leaders have finally come to an agreement over the debt ceiling. The proposed deal will raise the debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion while cutting $1 trillion in spending over 10 years.
Some of those cuts are expected to target environmental programs. Since cap and trade is essentially dead in the United States for the foreseeable future, another way to cheaply reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to protect forests.
Resources for the Future teamed up with Climate Advisers to survey the 112th Congress on international forest conservation. They interviewed 29 staff members. The survey included 16 from the Senate and 13 from the House. Fourteen are Republicans, and 15 are Democrats. The results from International Forest Conservation: A Survey of Key Staff in the 112th Congress follow.
When asked, “When talking about legislative options to help save forests, would you be more or less supportive if the issue is linked to climate change?”
