Energy & Environment

President Obama and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced June 29 several innovative actions that will promote energy efficiency while saving billions of dollars annually. This announcement highlights the fact that clean energy not only makes environmental sense, but it also makes smart economic sense. "[O]ne of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to make our economy stronger and cleaner is to make our economy more energy efficient," President Obama said. The announcement, which takes effect in 2012, includes major changes to energy conservation standards for household and commercial lighting. It mainly focuses on General Service Fluorescent Lamps, commonly found in residential and commercial buildings, and Incandescent Reflector Lamps, commonly found in recessed and track lighting. "Now I know light bulbs may not seem sexy, but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses," the President said. "Between 2012 and 2042, these new standards will save consumers up to $4 billion a year, conserve enough electricity to power every home in America for 10 months, reduce emissions equal to the amount produced by 166 million cars each year, and eliminate the need for as many as 14 coal-fired power plants."

Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Michael Froman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, brief on April 27-28 major economies climate meeting. State Department photo

The first preparatory session of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate took place in Washington on April 27-28, 2009. The meeting was called to prepare a leaders meeting of the Major Economies Forum in La Maddalena, Italy, in July 2009. "The purpose of the forum is twofold," Chairman Michael Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, said in a briefing after the event. "One is to build political momentum among the 17 of the world’s largest developing and developed economies that’s needed to reach a positive outcome in the international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen; and the other is build political support for the development of key transformation technologies to help address the climate change issues. After two days of very constructive dialogue, I think we’re off to a productive start, and I can say that people left with a very positive view of the forum and its ability to contribute to success in Copenhagen." (Chairman’s Summary, Video for broadcast media: U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Dr. Jonathan Pershing, Looks Towards April 27 Major Economies Forum Meeting)

2009: Special Envoy Morningstar on Energy Issues in Eurasia (Jun 25, 2009) | U.S.'s Pershing: Climate Change Is an Urgent Problem (June 12) | Press Conference Call with Senior U.S. Climate Change Officials (May 29, 2009) | Secretary Chu Signs International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (May 24, 2009) | Podcast: Energy efficiency for the long term – Vision for 2025 Energy efficiency for the long term – Vision for 2025 (Web) | Briefing After Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (Apr 28, 2009) (Chairman’s Summary) | Climate Change “Clear and Present Danger,” Secretary Clinton Says (Apr 29, 2009) | U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Dr. Jonathan Pershing Looks Towards Major Economies Forum Meeting (Video for broadcast media) | Todd Stern and Michael Froman Brief on the Forum | Clinton’s Remarks at Major Economies Forum on Energy, Climate (Apr 27, 2009) | U.S. Hosts Major Economies Energy, Climate Meeting (Apr 24, 2009) | Special Envoy Stern Senate Testimony (Apr 22, 2009) | Former U.S. Ambassador to EU Named Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy (Apr 20, 2009) | United States to Host Climate Change Forum in April (Mar 30, 2009) (Announcement) | Envoy Stern's Keynote Remarks at U.S. Climate Action Symposium (Mar 3, 2009) | Biden Lays Out U.S. Foreign Policy Goals, Approaches (Feb 7, 2009) (Remarks) | Remarks by Secretary Clinton and German Foreign Minister Steinmeier (Feb 3, 2009) and British Foreign Secretary Miliband (Feb 3, 2009) | Obama Sets Bold New Principles for U.S. Energy, Climate Policies (Jan 26, 2009) (R emarks) | Statement on Agreement to Restore Gas Flows to Europe (Jan 22, 2009) | President Obama’s Inaugural Address (Jan 20, 2009)

GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION

Following meetings between top European leaders and Russia, Moscow has agreed to a plan that may allow natural gas to flow again to Europe, experiencing its first deep freeze of the season. "The United States welcomes the agreement brokered by the Czech Presidency of the European Union to enable the restoration of gas flows to European customers and to provide greater transparency along the transit route," State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said in a January 12 statement. "Now that this agreement is in place, we call upon Russia to restore gas flows immediately. We also urge Russia and Ukraine to conclude quickly a deal on the sale and transit of gas. This incident once again underscores the importance of diversifying supplies of natural gas and of transparent, market-oriented arrangements for the sale and shipment of natural gas." (Assistant Secretary Fried Comments)

2009: Statement on Agreement to Restore Gas Flows to Europe (Jan 13, 2009) | Initial Deal Reached for Addressing Ukrainian-Russian Gas Spat (Jan 9, 2009)

2008: Diversifying U.S. Energy Supply and Confronting Climate Change (Dec 16, 2008) | U.S. Welcomes USTDA Grants for European Natural Gas Projects (Sep 16, 2008) | White House Briefing on Meeting of Major Economies (Jul 9, 2008) | G8 Supports Cutting Greenhouse Emissions 50 Percent by 2050 (Jul 8, 2008) | Transatlantic Perspectives on Black Sea Region (Jun 12, 2008) | U.S., Europe Need Collective Energy Security Strategy (May 30, 2008) | U.S., EU Discuss Investment, REACH at Second Transatlantic Economic Council Meeting (May 13, 2008) | State's Graffy: Trade, Climate Change and Soft Power -- Does America Have Friends in Europe? (May 13, 2008) | Webcast: Five Myths and Misperceptions about the U.S. and Environmental Protection with Bill Cline, Global Environment Team Leader, U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (Apr 28, 2008) | Press Briefing on Major Economies Meeting by White House's Connaughton (Apr 18, 2008) | Technology-based Policy on Climate Change Urged by Bush (Apr 16, 2008) (Speech; Fact Sheet) | Special Webcast! The U.S. and Climate Change: Straight Talk with Special Envoy Gray (Apr 15, 2008) | White House Press Briefing by Dana Perino (Apr 14, 2008) | State’s Bryza Briefs on Energy Security in Eurasian Region (Mar 26, 2008) | Media Roundtable with Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza on Energy Security (Feb 22, 2008) | EU and U.S. Advance Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development Dialogue (Mar 7, 2008) | Renewable Resources Are Rising Stars (Mar 5, 2008) (Bush Remarks) | Fact Sheet: Investment in Renewable and Alternative Energy Technologies | State's Negroponte Discusses Energy Security, Climate at Renewables Conference (Mar 4, 2008) | U.S. Officials Discuss Transatlantic Economic Ties, Climate Change in Berlin (Feb 26, 2008) | Special Envoy Gray Discusses Major Economies Meeting on Climate Change (Feb 1, 2008) | State's Volker on the Transatlantic Energy Challenge - Security, Prosperity, Climate (Feb 1, 2008) | Increasing U.S. Energy Security and Confronting Climate Change (State of the Union Fact Sheet, Jan 28, 2008) | Briefing on the Second Major Economies Meeting (Jan 25, 2008) | White House's Connaughton Reviews International Climate Change Negotiations in Senate Hearing (Jan 24, 2008) | State's Volker Discusses a New Framework for Combating Climate Change (Jan 24, 2008) | Benefits Arise from Global Effort To Link Earth Observation Data (Jan 24, 2008)

U.S. and European speakers participate in a September 19 debate on the environment cosponsored by CafeBabel, Brussels On September 19, 2007, the U.S. Mission to the EU cosponsored an open forum debate with CaféBabel, a multilingual European web magazine, about climate change initiatives and challenges in Europe, California, and elsewhere. Catherine Witherspoon, former Executive Director of the California Air Resources Board, Jos Delbeke, Director for climate change and air at the European Commission, and Matthias Duwe, Director of Climate Action Network, an NGO, engaged over 70 young European professionals in an open and lively dialogue that took place in the historic Halles Saint Gery, situated in the oldest district in Brussels. (Video of event)

2007: White House Statement on the Bali Climate Change Conference (Dec 15, 2007) | Connaughton, Dobriansky Brief on U.N. Convention on Climate Change (Dec 6, 2007) | U.S., EU Announce New Climate Initiatives for WTO (Nov 30, 2007) | High Stakes Accompany Global Climate Change (Nov 29, 2007) | Statement by President Bush on Energy Security and Climate Change (Nov 26, 2007) | U.S. Sends High-Level Delegation to Bali Climate Change Conference (Nov 26, 2007) | State's Dobriansky Reviews U.S. Climate Policy Ahead of Bali Meeting (Nov 13, 2007) | President Bush Participates in Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change (Oct 1, 2007) | U.S. Agency Funds Climate Change Projects in Nine Nations (Oct 1, 2007) | Rice Addresses Leaders on Energy Security, Climate Change (Sep 28, 2007) | Fact Sheet (Sep 28, 2007) | U.S. Hosts Major Economies Meeting on Energy, Climate Change (Sep 27, 2007) | U.S. Seeks Comprehensive International Approach to Aircraft Emissions Reductions (Sep 22, 2007) | International Partners Tackle Greenhouse Gas Methane (Aug 23, 2007) | Aviation Emissions Best Tackled Through Cooperation, Innovation (Aug 3, 2007) | G8 Summit Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Efficiency (Jun 8, 2007) | G8 Countries Agree on Process To Address Global Warming (Jun 7, 2007) | G8 Countries Building Consensus on Addressing Climate Change (Jun 6, 2007) | Energy Agency Plans International Carbon Sequestration Workshop (Apr 17, 2007) | Bush Seeks New International Framework on Climate Change (May 31, 2007) | State's Volker: U.S., EU Both Committed to Addressing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Apr 5, 2007) | U.S. Uniquely Positioned To Lead International Energy Dialogue (Mar 26, 2007) | Secretary Rice, EU Officials Speak at U.S.-EU Energy CEO Forum (Mar 19, 2007) | U.S., EU Expanding Cooperation on Environmental Research (Feb 13, 2007) | U.S., EU Hold Brussels Workshop to Discuss Clean Air Issues (Feb 5-6, 2007) (EPA's Meyers Power Point presentation) | Energy Secretary Bodman Discusses Bush Energy Plan (Jan 24, 2007) | Amb. Gray Discusses U.S.-EU Economic Issues after Bush, Barroso, Merkel Meetings (Jan 9, 2007)

President Bush and German Chancellor Merkel hold a joint press conference at the White House on Janauary 4, 2007. White House photo by Paul Morse. After a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on January 4, President Bush said he has been “going full steam ahead” in promoting new technologies designed to promote energy efficiency and that he is committed to “do a better job of protecting the world's environment.” Germany, which currently holds the EU Council Presidency, will also host the 2007 Group of Eight (G8) summit, and Merkel said there she plans to discuss economic growth and its relation to climate change.