Update from the Director

What an exciting six months it has been in the world of energy and climate policy! In June, the House passed landmark legislation that caps greenhouse gas emissions and contains many other energy provisions. The Senate is crafting similar legislation. And the Obama administration has been meeting with other governments in preparation for the international climate negotiations scheduled to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark in early December.

While U.S. legislation and a strong agreement at Copenhagen are critical to reducing emissions quickly enough to avoid catastrophic impacts on human societies across the globe, it is clear that the transition to a clean energy economy has already begun here and in other countries. The question is, will the United States position itself to be an innovative world leader in this economy? Will we invest in energy efficiency to make our businesses more competitive and help households save more, and build our capacity to manufacture clean energy technologies to create jobs and earn profits selling them overseas? Or will China and Europe take the lead in the 21st century?

EESI is doing its part to ensure U.S. leadership during this historic time by bringing timely, non-partisan information to decision-makers on Capitol Hill. Since the May edition of EESI Update , we have held 24 briefings and published eight papers to explain the science behind climate change and highlight innovative policy solutions -- some of which already have been implemented at the state level or in foreign countries, and some of which have been proposed by leaders in the U.S. Congress for the first time. EESI’s work to educate policymakers on the urgency of climate change and the economic benefits of addressing it moves Congress closer to passing thoughtful, effective legislation.

Now is a critical time to continue and expand our work , which is made possible by our generous supporters. An easy way to show your support for the continuation of EESI’s work all year long is to sign up to give $10, $20, or $30 a month – or whatever you can afford. Your steady support helps ensure that we can continue to hold and videotape briefings, publish papers on critical issues, and respond to urgent requests. Please go to our secure, online form to sign up to support all of EESI’s work all year long; you can change your settings at any time. Thank you in advance for your support, so needed at this critical time for U.S. climate and clean energy policy!

Carol Werner
Executive Director

Click here to read more about EESI's recent work.