On January 29, 2010 President Obama today announced that the Federal Government will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2020. While the base year was not specified in the press release (below) it is elsewhere defined as 2008, rather than the 2005 previously used by the U.S. Government or the base year of 1990 used by most other nations. As the nations largest purchaser of energy, this action has the potential to provide a significant stimulus for energy efficiency and innovation in the development of clean energy sources. This action follows the January 28th announcement of non-binding pledge to reduce national emissions of greenhouse gases by 17% reduction by 2020. This latter announcement was made in response to the Copenhagen Accord, has a base year of 2005, and is contingent upon action by the U.S. Congress.
Sphere: Related ContentBrowsing Posts tagged greenhouse gas
World-wide, business has always tried to “externalize” their costs, whenever and wherever possible passing costs on to the public. This has been especially true of the waste resulting from the manufacture and use of goods produced. Business has been able to increase its profits by dumping their waste products in our waterways, land and air; passing on treatment, or cleanup, costs to the public. Likewise, until recently business has had little, or no, incentive to produce energy-efficient and environmentally “clean” products. As energy costs have risen, and government regulations implemented energy-efficiency is now an accepted business consideration. In response to concerns about climate change, many nations are now addressing the disposal of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by large businesses. Unfortunately many have chosen to do so by means of a “cap and trade” scheme, which the United States government is currently considering (the euphemistically named “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009“).
Sphere: Related ContentEPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Pose Threat to Public Health, Welfare / Proposed Finding Comes in Response to 2007 Supreme Court Ruling
Release date: 04/17/2009
(Washington, D.C. – April 17, 2009) After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.
The proposed finding, which now moves to a public comment period, identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat.
Sphere: Related Content
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.