Jun

28

Obama Weekly Radio Address: Calls Energy Bill Passage Critical to Stronger American Economy

Filed Under Green Jobs, Obama Cap and Trade | Comments Off

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, June 27, 2009WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Calls Energy Bill Passage Critical to Stronger American Economy

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama praised the House of Representatives for passing the energy bill on Friday evening. This historic piece of legislation will not just lessen our dependence on foreign oil, but also spark a clean energy transformation in our economy that will create millions of new American jobs that pay well and cannot be outsourced. Clean energy and the jobs it creates are critical to building a new foundation for our economy.

The audio and video will be available at 6:00am Saturday, June 27, 2009 at www.whitehouse.gov.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
June 27, 2009

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a historic piece of legislation that will open the door to a clean energy economy and a better future for America.

For more than three decades, we have talked about our dependence on foreign oil.  And for more than three decades, we have seen that dependence grow.  We have seen our reliance on fossil fuels jeopardize our national security.  We have seen it pollute the air we breathe and endanger our planet.  And most of all, we have seen other countries realize a critical truth:  the nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy.  Read more

Jun

24

New Report Finds 5 Million Jobs, 5-7 Billion Tons in CO2 Reductions Can Be Achieved By 2020

Filed Under Carbon Emissions, Green Jobs | Comments Off

First-of-its-Kind Report by Leading Clean Technology CEOs, Venture Capitalists and Academics Identifies How to Reduce a Billion Tons of CO2 from Each of Eight Existing Industries, Add Millions More Jobs than Fossil Fuel Industries, and Ensure Energy Independence

In a presentation before national policymakers and analysts today, leading clean energy CEOs, venture capitalists and academics unveiled the “Gigaton Throwdown,” an assessment of the nation’s clean energy potential that identifies seven industries capable of creating 5 million clean energy jobs and reducing CO2 emissions by 5-7 gigatons by 2020. The report, a collaborative effort between leading researchers at UC Berkeley, MIT, University of Michigan, Stanford, and Drexel University, and clean tech leaders, challenges Washington policymakers to remove obstacles that keep billions of capital investment dollars sitting on the sidelines.

“What we’ve outlined today is an ambitious goal, but one that is entirely attainable through hard work and a concerted effort between government, business and private investment,” said Sunil Paul, founder of the Gigaton Throwdown and founding director of Spring Ventures. “We are at a crossroads, and the U.S. has an opportunity to become a leader in this new global sector if we act now. To us the choice is clear.” Read more

Mar

28

Labor Unions, Environmental Organizations Urge Passage of Climate Change Legislation in 2009

Filed Under Climate Legislation, Green Jobs, US Cap and Trade | Comments Off

Blue Green Alliance Releases Principles for Cap-and-Trade Legislation Necessary to Put Americans Back to Work

MINNEAPOLIS, March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Four labor unions and two environmental organizations today announced their support for comprehensive cap-and-trade climate change legislation in 2009. The Blue Green Alliance and its partner organizations said this legislation is an effective way to rapidly put millions of Americans back to work building a clean energy economy and to reduce global warming emissions to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  Read more

Feb

27

Obama administration claims cap and trade creates green jobs

Filed Under Cap and Trade, Green Jobs, Obama Cap and Trade | Comments Off

Environmental Defense Fund today released a groundbreaking online map that identifies and profiles more than 1,200 companies in key manufacturing states poised to grow their business and create new jobs when Congress passes a cap on global warming pollution.  

The interactive map, online at LessCarbonMoreJobs.org, was released at the first meeting of Vice President Joe Biden’s task force on middle class jobs in Philadelphia. It highlights hundreds of companies and communities in coal country, the rust belt and other manufacturing regions poised to benefit from demand for clean energy technologies created by a cap on carbon. Read more