President Obama has outlined the US' plans to reduce carbon pollution and lead international efforts to address global climate change.
A key element of the plan is the reduction of carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. The Administration will direct the EPA to see through work started in April 2012, of establishing carbon pollution standards for new and existing power plants. Other clean energy initiatives include accelerating permitting for renewable energies, and upgrading the national electric grid.
One goal of the plan is to double energy productivity by 2030 compared with 2010 levels. This will be achieved in part through the establishment of stringent energy efficiency standards for dishwashers, refrigerators and other consumer products. The overall aim is to establish efficiency standards which reduce carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons by 2030.
The plan also outlines measures to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases hydrofluorocarbons and methane, to reduce emissions from heavy-duty vehicles via the introduction of fuel economy standards after 2018, and to introduce renewables purchasing obligations so that the government consumes 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
For full details of this key climate change strategy, and to keep up to date with other important developments, please contact us.
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