2009 Public Statements
Speech by Debuty Chief of Mission Deborah McCarthy
"Economic and Environmental Crises" Symposium hosted by the Club of Rome
Offices of the European Parliament
April 14, 2009
(as prepared)
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to be here today at the invitation of the Biopolitics International Organization and the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome to address such a distinguished audience about renewed American focus on the environment in what President Obama has named “a new era of responsibility.”
In President Obama’s first full week in office, he announced new policies to lower greenhouse gas emissions, signaling our commitment to lead global efforts to confront climate change.
Internationally, we are working vigorously with all major economies to structure an agreement to stimulate real, dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the lead-up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December. And domestically, we are discussing how best to transform the way we use energy and manage land so that we can build a clean energy future.
Let me begin on the global front. Our new Special Envoy on Climate Change recently spoke at the Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc Working Group leading up to Copenhagen.
Stern underscored –“We have been doing a lot of listening; a lot of sharing of ideas with many counterparts.” This statement reinforces the Obama Administration’s promise to engage in constructive, vigorous, and creative diplomacy to find solutions to our current climate challenges. Our guiding principle in these negotiations is to combine science and pragmatism.
Stern highlighted in his comments that Washington will be hosting a preparatory meeting on April 27-28 for the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which will include both China and India.
This will be a forum to discuss clean energy partnerships and work towards facilitating agreement in Copenhagen on mitigation and financing, technology, and adaptation. In addition, we are working with our partners to establish a structure to ensure that funds also flow to developing countries to combat climate change.
In order for all this work to be achieved, we are linking with the private sector to identify opportunities to share new technologies and services in areas such as solar power, fuel cells, energy efficiency, and green buildings.
The U.S. and EU have teamed up together to bring alternative energy and energy conservation companies to the trade-show “Bright Green” at the Copenhagen Conference. We are also looking at expanding cooperation on research and development, particularly in the area of science and technology, in this region of Europe. USAID already has an agreement with Hellenic Aid, through its implementing partner the Center for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), to install energy-efficiency and sustainable development projects in the Balkans.
Change is also happening at home in the US, where President Obama has called for a number of measures to revolutionize the way we use energy. The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:
• Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
• Reduce imports of oil.
• Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015.
• Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
Already, President Obama has dedicated $80 billion from our domestic stimulus package towards developing a “green economy”. In the transformation to a low-carbon economy, President Obama has dedicated $20 billion to a smart grid power network for consistent electricity production and distribution in order to increase our use of renewable energy sources. $27 billion will go towards green highways and $8.4 billion to public transit, creating green jobs and reducing emissions.
President Obama has pledged to weatherize one million homes annually and develop and deploy clean coal technology. By linking our economic recovery to a “green recovery,” Obama has signaled that leadership starts at home.
Increasing green jobs and reducing emissions will have the added benefit of reducing our dependence on imported oil. Among federal programs launched in this area are those to:
• Increase Fuel Economy Standards.
• Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015.
• Create a New $7,000 Tax Credit for Purchasing Advanced Vehicles.
• Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
• A "Use it or Lose It" Approach to Existing Oil and Gas Leases.
As we speak, Congress is discussing the Waxman-Markey bill, designed to lead to a reduction in emissions of 5 to 6 percent by 2020. The proposal aims to create a suite of federal emissions standards for cars, trucks, trains, and ships.
It also encourages states and utilities to develop plug-in electric vehicles and infrastructure by setting a “low-carbon fuel standard” for the transportation sector. As part of President Obama’s plan to turn to plug-ins, Obama announced $2.4 billion in stimulus cash for plug-ins and advanced batteries just last month.
States in the U.S. are working on energy efficiency efforts in concert with the President’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which also provides new spending and loan guarantees to assist in the transformation to a clean energy economy.
Several state legislatures have already passed bills aimed at boosting renewable energy development, including New Mexico, Utah, and Kansas. California is leading the charge on solar energy, while Texas is a leader in wind energy. The U.S. Administration is truly committed to making this into a “green revolution.”
We too here in Athens are doing our part. We are a member of our “League of Green Embassies,” committed to energy-efficiency. We have established goals for utility usage at buildings and residences. We are also working on a plan to install a 20KW solar panel in the Embassy and use recycled water on our grounds.
Again, I am delighted to be here today in this new era for the US on cooperation on environment issues. As Special Envoy Stern noted, we want to make up for lost time and we are seized with the urgency of the task before us. Thank you.