Obama’s climate strategy

Guests: Coral Davenport, Scott Segal, Daniel Lashof

Last week President Obama announced his climate action plan that includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, funding renewable energy, and preparing cities and states for climate change. Speaking at Georgetown University, the President said he would use his executive powers to set new limits for carbon emissions on existing and new power plants.  He also said that he would approve the Keystone Pipeline if it did not significantly increase carbon pollution.  While environmentalists applaud the plan, coal-fired utilities and some Republicans have said it’s a “war on coal” and will kill jobs and hurt the fragile economy.  Just how ambitious is the President’s climate strategy?  Are there barriers to implementing it?  And what will it mean for the coal industry?  We’ll get three different perspectives this hour  from CORAL DAVENPORT, energy and environment correspondent for the National Journal, SCOTT SEGAL, director of the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, a group of power companies that use coal as part of their fuel sources, and DANIEL LASHOF, Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Climate and Clean Air Program.