Wednesday
Apr082009
Group endeavors hopes to help planet and people
by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Green for All and the Service Employees International Union converged in Washington, D.C. today, recommending to lawmakers how they should act following draft legislation recently put forward by Senate Democrats to introduce the Climate Equity Alliance, which is an alliance pushing for strong climate legislation that protects and provides opportunity for low- and moderate-income communities.
Jason Walsh, National Policy Director at Green for All said that, based on shared values, more than two dozen organizations from the research, advocacy, faith-based, labor and civil rights communities have formed this alliance.
“The urgent need of transition to a clean energy economy presents us with some critical choices…. We should therefore approach climate policy not only as environmental policy, though it is certainly that, but also as economic policy and as civil-rights policy that can advance principles of fairness and opportunity and equal access,” said Walsh.
The alliance believes that the best way to advance those principles “is to ensure that the strong policies needed to reduce green house gas emissions, also protect low and moderate income households and expand economic opportunity,” Walsh said.
U.S. climate policy needs to include effective mechanisms that reach all low-income households and effectively offset cost increases and to ensure that quality of life for those families is maintained, said Robert Greenstein, Executive Director at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
“This is definitely doable as part of climate legislation,” Greenstein said. “One certainly doesn’t want climate policy to have the unintended side effect of increasing poverty and hardship... Well-designed climate policy can assure that there aren’t such adverse effects by auctioning emissions allowances and devoting an appropriate portion of the proceeds to effectively deliver consumer relief for low and moderate income households”.
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green for All, said “We believe that if climate policy can fight pollution, it can also alleviate poverty at the same time,” adding that she wants to make ensure that the alliance is equitable and takes in account low and moderate-income communities.
“We want to ensure that climate policies provide equal protection and also equal opportunity for all communities,” she said. “Our hope is that working together, if we do this right, we’ll really be able to make sure that both our planet and the people that inhabit it are not really just surviving but in fact thriving in a clean energy economy.”
Green for All and the Service Employees International Union converged in Washington, D.C. today, recommending to lawmakers how they should act following draft legislation recently put forward by Senate Democrats to introduce the Climate Equity Alliance, which is an alliance pushing for strong climate legislation that protects and provides opportunity for low- and moderate-income communities.
Jason Walsh, National Policy Director at Green for All said that, based on shared values, more than two dozen organizations from the research, advocacy, faith-based, labor and civil rights communities have formed this alliance.
“The urgent need of transition to a clean energy economy presents us with some critical choices…. We should therefore approach climate policy not only as environmental policy, though it is certainly that, but also as economic policy and as civil-rights policy that can advance principles of fairness and opportunity and equal access,” said Walsh.
The alliance believes that the best way to advance those principles “is to ensure that the strong policies needed to reduce green house gas emissions, also protect low and moderate income households and expand economic opportunity,” Walsh said.
U.S. climate policy needs to include effective mechanisms that reach all low-income households and effectively offset cost increases and to ensure that quality of life for those families is maintained, said Robert Greenstein, Executive Director at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
“This is definitely doable as part of climate legislation,” Greenstein said. “One certainly doesn’t want climate policy to have the unintended side effect of increasing poverty and hardship... Well-designed climate policy can assure that there aren’t such adverse effects by auctioning emissions allowances and devoting an appropriate portion of the proceeds to effectively deliver consumer relief for low and moderate income households”.
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green for All, said “We believe that if climate policy can fight pollution, it can also alleviate poverty at the same time,” adding that she wants to make ensure that the alliance is equitable and takes in account low and moderate-income communities.
“We want to ensure that climate policies provide equal protection and also equal opportunity for all communities,” she said. “Our hope is that working together, if we do this right, we’ll really be able to make sure that both our planet and the people that inhabit it are not really just surviving but in fact thriving in a clean energy economy.”
tagged 
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Climate Equity Alliance, DC, Environmental Policy, Green for All, Jason Walsh, Legislation, National Policy Director, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Robert Greenstein, Senate Democrats, Service Employees International Union, advocacy, alliance, civil-rights policy, climate policy, faith-based, green house gas emissions, labor and civil rights, pollution, research, washington in News/Commentary
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Climate Equity Alliance, DC, Environmental Policy, Green for All, Jason Walsh, Legislation, National Policy Director, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Robert Greenstein, Senate Democrats, Service Employees International Union, advocacy, alliance, civil-rights policy, climate policy, faith-based, green house gas emissions, labor and civil rights, pollution, research, washington in News/Commentary
Commerce And Energy Departments Teaming To Promote Green Inventions
In an effort to provide jobs and more boost to the economy, U.S. Energy and Commerce Secretaries Steven Chu and Gary Locke teamed on Monday to unveil plans to grant up to $100 million in Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to eligible “green” businesses, and to provide at least 3,000 entrepreneurs an expedited patent process if their inventions address climate and emission challenges.
Chu explained that ARRA money for the initiative will come from ARPA-E funding, which he says began as an outgrowth of a 2005 University of California Berkley report. Chu was a contributor to that study, which is now a Department of Energy funding program.
“I’m announcing $100 million dollars in Recovery Act funding to accelerate innovation in green technology through RBE,” Chu said. “This project solicitation focuses on three cutting-edge technologies that could have transformation impact.”
To get the grants, those three technologies will need to provide or create liquid fuels that convert carbon dioxide into fuels, innovative materials and processes for advanced carbon capture technologies and/or low-cost electric vehicle battery technology that can improve energy by as much as five times.
Locke called today’s announcement of a patent pilot program an example of President Obama’s commitment to “making sure the next Silicon Valley, and the jobs that come with it, are located right here in America.”
Locke emphasized the need for U.S. competitiveness, saying that only one in five alternative energy companies are based in the country, and that by giving entrepreneurs a quick outlet through the pilot, American inventors will be given “every advantage to commercialize and thrive in this green energy sector.”
Those eligible for an expedited patent process must have patents pending that either enhance environmental quality, can conserve resources, discover renewable resources and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property David Kappos said the pilot program is expected to decrease patent waiting times by an average of 12 months, adding that the current patent process takes about 40 months.
“Although the pilot will be open to 3,000 applicants,” Kappos said, “if [it is] successful, we will look to expand upon it further down the road.”
The two initiatives released today coincided with the beginning of the 11-day United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, as well as a major Environmental Protection Agency announcement declaring that the Obama administration will begin to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.