Engaging Internationally on Climate Change
Many are eagerly awaiting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Copenhagen in December. The U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy is gearing up for the conference and will be representing American businesses in Denmark.
Our President & CEO, Karen Harbert, has already urged a pro-growth agenda for the conference, centered around making smart energy choices, improving environmental stewardship, and investing in research, development, and the use of advanced technologies. Indeed, the Institute views energy policy and climate change as related. By investing in and deploying technologies like solar, wind, nuclear and clean coal technology, America will be able to meet our growing energy needs while reducing carbon emissions.
The Institute believes that climate change policies must initially focus on promoting win-win ways to achieve energy security and emissions reductions while protecting economic growth. In addition, we believe that any new national climate change policy should be conditional on an international agreement that requires full international participation.
To foster that spirit of international participation, the Institute’s Stephen Eule (vice president for climate and technology) recently participated in an International Business Roundtable in Copenhagen with business representatives from around the world who shared views and issued a framework for decision-making at the U.N. Conference. The full statement issued by the group is available here.
Karen and Stephen will be taking the Institute’s message to Copenhagen later this year, and will remain fully engaged in its preparations as representatives of America’s leading voice for business throughout the year. December may seem far off, but there is a lot of preparation to be done, so keeping checking for analysis and updates from our experts on our website.
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