ERM's Climate Change Legislation Webinar
14 December 2009
Nations will convene next week at the UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark to negotiate the next phase of binding commitments to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases. This meeting is set amidst a backdrop of significant U.S. legislative efforts to combat the same emissions.
National energy and climate change legislation in the U.S. House and Senate has broken new ground in the last six months and the near- and long-term impacts on both business and individuals will be significant. In the House, The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES or Waxman-Markey) passed on June 26, 2009, which deals with both Climate and Energy. In the Senate, the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA) was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in June while the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed the Energy Jobs and American Power Act (CEJAPA or Kerry-Boxer) last month.
Because these legislative changes seek to regulate a broad range of business considerations including emitter allowances, building codes, green jobs, renewable energy incentives and other balance-sheet impacting issues, Senators and Congressmen are scrambling for position to ensure that their constituencies interests are addressed and enhanced in the legislation prior to finalization.
Next week, at COP15, industrialized countries around the world are seeking to deliver a legally binding political agreement on climate change. The divergent interests of nations will be discussed and debated while the US will remain an ever present focus as a leader in both emissions and the global economy. Unlike in recent years, US political leadership is taking these talks seriously. President Obama will address the conference on the 9th while a large US Congressional delegation will converge on the meeting the following week.
ERM's Climate and Energy Policy Specialist, Kara Saul Rinaldi, will be chairing a Webinar live from Copenhagen to:
- Review the key issues that domestic legislation will address and what we expect as Congress wraps up for the year;
- Potential for new climate and energy legislation that would impact businesses; and
- Up-to-the-minute insight on the global dialogue from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
This event is by invitation only. For more information please contact Mary Pietrocarlo.
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