The Blue Green Alliance ? a coalition of unions and environmental organizations ? is proposing a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system designed to reduce emissions levels to 80% below those of 1990 within less than 50 years. The Alliance is simultaneously promoting legislation to ease the transition into such a system by granting emission allowances to energy-intensive industries, and subsidizing higher energy costs for low income Americans. Initial emission allowances would help prevent job losses and maintain global competitiveness while a ?green? economy is developed, and new ?green? jobs created.
See "Cap-and-Trade the Focus for Labor, Green Groups Partnership", March 30, 2009