FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Julia Selker, E-mail: jselker@bcse.org, Cell: 541-908-5792
Andy Barnes, E-mail: abarnes@cebn.org, Cell: 310-418-9679

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today’s announcement by U.S. President Joe Biden of the new nationally-determined contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement sets a goal for the United States to reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 50 and 52 percent by 2030 over 2005 levels.

In reaction, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) offer the following comments.

Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE):

“The new nationally-determined contribution (NDC) sends a clear market signal for an accelerated clean energy transformation. This transformation will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and create new economic opportunities and jobs.

“Clean energy businesses in the energy efficiency, natural gas and renewable energy sectors stand ready to work with the Administration and Congress and in coordination with state and local governments and communities to achieve this goal.  We need to identify durable and supportive policy pathways, and to foster new public-private partnerships to make progress in this critical climate decade .  The United States can make significant GHG reductions by leveraging private sector actions and investments and optimizing the broad portfolio of existing clean energy solutions. We know that these reductions can be made in in an affordable and reliable manner that will expand the economic benefits of this transformation.”

Lynn Abramson, President, Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN):

“President Biden’s new target under the Paris Agreement will create new opportunities for small and medium sized businesses. Setting this ambitious goal will incentivize our country’s greatest resource of innovators and entrepreneurs to develop and deploy new clean energy and energy efficiency technologies and services at scale. This long-term, nation-wide market signal will foster new jobs, reduce energy costs for businesses and families, and lead to healthier communities across the country.”

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The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) is a coalition of companies and trade associations from the energy efficiency, natural gas and renewable energy sectors, and also includes investor-owned utilities, public power, independent power producers, project developers, equipment manufacturers, and environmental and energy market service providers. Established in 1992, the Council advocates for policies that expand the use of commercially-available clean energy technologies, products and services.  For more information on the Council, please visit www.bcse.org. For the latest industry data, download the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.

The Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) is the small business voice for the clean energy economy, working to enhance opportunities for clean energy providers through policy support, market and technology education, and business development assistance. For more information, please visit: www.cebn.org.