The analysis, "Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy," found that implementing a suite of climate, energy and transportation policies would allow the United States to meet an emissions-reduction cap of 56 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and save consumers and businesses $465 billion in that year. The average U.S. household would enjoy a net savings of $900 on its energy bills, including $580 on transportation (fuel, vehicle and driving) costs and $320 on electricity, natural gas and heating oil, after investing in home efficiency improvements. Businesses collectively would realize net energy bill savings of $130 billion.
Yesterday’s opening day for the American Clean Energy and Security Act hearings yielded some interesting and engaging comments regarding the discussion draft of “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” Here are the highlights of comments made by committee members, along with our responses.
Bart Gordon (D-TN) What he said: Rep Gordon said that a federal RES (Renewable Energy Standard) could potentially be “punitive” for some regions.
Here's a guest post from Priscila Néri, Hub Content Coordinator at Witness, an international human rights organization that provides training and support to local groups to use video in their human rights advocacy campaigns. -- Luis
What images come to mind when you think of human rights? Pictures of torture, unjust detention, police brutality, political persecution? Or do you think about climate change? What about when you think of the environmental movement? Do you picture polluted oceans, destroyed forests, endangered wildlife? Or do you think about people?
It's Earth Day, and although the environmental and human rights movements may sometimes be perceived as two different things - especially in many developed countries like the United States - in much of the world they are closely intertwined. Earth Day is not just about recycling, reducing your carbon footprint, and protecting wildlife. It's also rooted in the struggle for the rights to clean air, water, and a healthy environment - all basic human rights.
In March 2009, Kelly Matheson and I traveled to the annual meeting of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide to speak with activists from around the world about this connection. We asked them: do environmental rights = human rights?
The responses we heard were so illuminating that we decided to make this short video (go here to learn more about the images shown in the video or to download a copy):
Now we want to hear from you: do environmental rights = human rights?
