COP-15

Yesterday afternoon, 9 December 2009, US Administrator for the EPA, Lisa Jackson, addressed the press and spectators at COP-15 on the US EPA’s action in the current administration. The highly anticipated speech offered a sentiment of making up for lost time. During the last 8 years under the Bush Administration, many of the EPA’s plans were put on hold such as the recent announcement of Endangered Findings in greenhouse gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act. Jackson explained that many of the groups wanting a more progressive take on the climate had been ‘going it alone’ such as the inter-state organization she was part of with New Jersey due to the poor environmental agenda of the Bush Administration. Jackson believes that the inventive and creative activity that was taking place on the regional level will now have a chance on the federal level with the new administration in place.

Jackson announced that she believed this administration will rise to the challenge of climate change, and that the impression and legacy of 2009 will be the year that the US government started seriously addressing clean energy reform. During the questions portion of Jackson’s speech she commented on the built environment and said that the EPA works with the Energy Star program on new and retrofit strategies to reduce emissions, and that through the $50 billion in the US Recovery Act, $6 billion would be designated to water and waste water. She explained that water is integral to sustainability practices since it provides a renewable option with clean water, which is the future since clean water is becoming scarcer and scarcer of a source.

Jackson’s exciting announcement during her speech was that the Supreme Court passed the Endangered Findings in April of this year and on 7 December 2009 she signed the two findings, endangerment and cause or contribute findings, which found that green house gases impose a threat to health. These findings under the Clean Air Act have stirred up some controversy in the US and some critics claim that it is not transparent enough. Jackson offered in response to this accusation, that through legislation the question of whether or not carbon should have a price is taken off the table and that through legislation Americans will be able to look at companies and see what they are doing. The current economic climate has shaken American business and global business alike, and in order to get American businesses wanting to invest in sustainable practices is through showing the American businesses that clean energy is profitable.
Jackson claims that the Endangered Findings are the key to the Clean Air Act and now the law of the land and that the Act provides reasonable common sense steps to compliment legislation. This ‘key’ to the Clean Air Act provides some change and progress in environmental policy and Jackson’s remarks give reason to believe that the US Obama administration will take clean energy seriously. However, the vague strategies at COP-15 have led people to believe otherwise. Hopefully next week President Obama’s visit to COP-15 will provide some clarity on the US position.