CIG has learned that following hot on the heels of his State of the Union speech, U.S. President Barrack Obama, has just announced a series of steps aimed at underscoring his commitment to curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Obama announced that the federal government will cut its emissions by 28% by 2020 over 2008 levels, significantly higher than the 17% cut over 2005 levels currently being discussed as part of national climate change legislation before the Senate.
CIG believes that after signing the new Executive Order, the president said that the administrations position as the largest energy consumer in the U.S. meant that the new targets would have a substantial impact on carbon emissions, energy security and the nation’s deficit.
"Our goal is to lower costs, reduce pollution, and shift federal energy expenses away from oil and towards local, clean energy," CIG believes Obama was quoted as saying.
Whitehouse figures show that the federal government spent over $24.5 billion on electricity and fuel in 2008 and as a result achieving the 2020 target would help to curb energy costs by between $8 billion and $11 billion by 2020, while at the same time cutting emissions by the equivalent of removing 17 million cars from the country’s roads.
