Big Business Says Regulate Us to Save the Planet

While we wait to see the specifics of Obama’s plans for fighting global warming and the response from Congress, a group of five major corporations are requesting legislation to set serious new standards and enforce them.

Coordinated by CERES, a coalition of environmental, nonprofit and corporate organizations, BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy) is made up of Nike, Starbucks, Levi Strauss, Sun Microsystems and Timberland.

Recognizing the risks to their companies from climate change, these corporations want Congress to pass new legislation. The goals they want Congress to enforce are pretty impressive and include:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 - The United States must achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and at least 25 percent reduction below 1990 levels by 2020.

Promote Energy Efficiency – Establish aggressive energy efficiency policies … to promote at least a doubling of our historic rate of energy efficiency improvement and utilize standards, incentives, and other policies to promote efficient vehicles, plug-in electric hybrids, low-carbon fuels, reduction in vehicle miles traveled and transit-oriented development.

Invest in a Clean Energy Economy – Increase investment in technology while eliminating subsidies for fossil fuel industries and support "green collar" jobs "in low-income communities and communities vulnerable to economic impact from climate change." Finally, they demand that Congress "require that nationally 20 percent of electricity be generated from renewable energy sources by 2020, and 30 percent by 2030" and serious limitations on coal fired plants.

As Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres said,

"These companies have a clear message for next year’s Congress: move quickly on climate change and create a prosperous green economy and green jobs at the same time."

This week Ceres had the sad news of announcing the death of one of its founders, Joan Bavaria, who was a true Hero of the Planet. This good news would have made Joan very proud indeed.

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2. When Pro-Business Ideology Goes Bad
3. Mass Transit-Oriented Smart Growth Melds Environmental, Labor Interests
4. Progressive Groups Target Companies over Their Chamber of Commerce Membership
5. The Global Warming Lie Detector