U.S. Businesses, Environmental Groups Call for Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
An alliance of U.S.-based businesses and environmental organizations has called on the federal government to quickly enact strong legislation to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions so as to avoid consequences that would necessitate steeper reductions in the future.
The nonpartisan U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) consists of market leaders Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, Duke Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, General Electric, Lehman Brothers, PG&E, and PNM Resources, as well as four leading non-governmental organizations — Environmental Defense, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, and the World Resources Institute. USCAP member companies have a combined market capitalization of more than $750 billion, while their environmental counterparts have global policy influence and more than one million members worldwide.
In a recently released report, A Call for Action (9 pages, PDF), USCAP lays out a blueprint for an economy-wide, market-driven approach to climate protection, with recommendations based on principles that underscore the urgent need for a policy framework on climate change. The group’s recommendations are based on the following principles: acknowledgment of the global dimensions of climate change; recognition of the importance of technology; an emphasis on environmental effectiveness; the need to create economic opportunity and advantage; a desire to be fair to sectors disproportionately impacted; and recognition of the need to encourage early action. The report is the result of a year-long collaboration motivated by the shared goal of slowing, stopping, and reversing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions over the shortest period of time that is reasonably achievable.
“The time has come for constructive action that draws strength equally from business, government, and non-governmental stakeholders,” said General Electric chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “These recommendations should catalyze legislative action that encourages innovation and fosters economic growth, while enhancing energy security and balance of trade, ensuring U.S. leadership on an issue of significance to our country and the world.”
[Via Philanthropy News Digest]
