Betsy Taylor talks business and climate at Ceres '09

At the Ceres 2009 Conference today, 1Sky Board President Betsy Taylor talked about the pivotal role that the business community has to play in the climate debate. Via ClimateBiz:

Legislators desperately need input from the business community as they debate and design climate policy in the U.S. -- and not only the voices of fossil-fuel industries which have for years blanketed Washington, D.C., with lobbyists seeking to stall, weaken or kill climate change regulations, according to Betsy Taylor, a panelist and president of Breakthrough Strategies and Solutions.

"They need support and help and back-up," Taylor said of politicians laying the groundwork for future climate change laws, such as Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the two House members who recently introduced a discussion draft of a potential climate change bill. "They are looking for stories, they are looking for people willing to testify about how moving in this direction is already generating growth, wealth, jobs, stronger communities, long-term durability for companies."

In an effort to involve the business community in the push for bold climate solutions, last year Ceres launched the BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy) project: a coalition of major national companies calling for passage of strong U.S. climate and energy policies in 2009. Members include Starbucks, Nike, Timberland, eBay and Gap.