Judgment day has arrived for US voters and in the green arena there has been much debate over which candidate would be the biggest hitter for the environment.
The easy verdict is that both would be far better than George W Bush, but that's not hard. Cutting to the chase, I reckon Barack Obama is ahead – which is good as he looks very likely to win.
He has been attacked for his enthusiasm for coal-to-liquids and ethanol based-biofuels. But his backing for a cap-and-trade system to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050 contrasts with John McCain's target of 60%. Importantly, Obama would sell the permits, while McCain would give them away (which didn't work too well in the first stage of the European emissions trading scheme). Obama is also greener on renewable energy (setting specific targets), hotter on fuel efficiency for vehicles and cooler on nuclear power.
McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, was also exposed as having previously denied the human influence on climate change.
But to help you make up your own mind, you can compare the two candidates' policy positions and voting records. Making those policies into reality will require a crack team, too, so take a look at the people our friends at Grist think will take the top green jobs under Obama or McCain administrations.
And do let me know what you think in the comments below.
