Energy, Climate Change,
and Our Environment

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  • OSTP Celebrates Earth Day 2010 with Public Lecture, New GLOBE Report

    Posted by Rick Weiss on April 22, 2010 at 12:11 PM EDT

    OSTP Director John P. Holdren will give a free public lecture at the University of California, Berkeley, this evening as part of the White House’s celebration of Earth Day 2010. Dr. Holdren’s talk, "Science and Technology for Sustainable Well-Being: Priorities and Policies in the Obama Administration," will highlight Administration initiatives that are addressing the pressing economic, environmental, energy-, and climate-related challenges facing the Nation today.

    Dr. Holdren will also note that today marks not only the 40th anniversary of Earth Day but also the 15th anniversary of a Federal program that embodies the central principles of Earth Day—the Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment, or “GLOBE,” program. OSTP today released a new report that affirms the many benefits of that environmental education program—launched on Earth Day 1995—and lays out a map for future accomplishments.

    GLOBE is a worldwide primary- and secondary-school-based science and education program designed to open up the world of scientific discovery to students by getting them into the field to make actual environmental measurements, such as air temperature, waterway acidity, and sunlight intensity. Since its launch in 1995, the program has grown to connect—in an enormous data-sharing network—more than 20,000 schools in 112 countries.

    Students in GLOBE schools, along with the 50,000 teachers that GLOBE has trained in those schools, have collected and uploaded more than 20 million environmental and climate measurements in the past 15 years—a data set that is openly available for collaborative scientific research by students and professional scientists alike.

    “GLOBE is an important tool for educating the next generation of climate and environmental scientists, giving students the opportunity to share in the excitement of scientific discovery in their own backyards,” Dr. Holdren said.

    The new report, produced by OSTP, reaffirms the value of GLOBE as part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to science education and environmental stewardship and lays out important goals for the years ahead—in particular an enhanced focus on climate education that focuses on global warming, the carbon and energy footprint, climate and human health, and ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity.

    For more details about GLOBE, see our full release or http://www.globe.gov.

    GLOBE is just one element in an array of programs and activities being supported by the Administration in the domain of environmental science and education, many of which are highlighted on a special Earth Day website launched this week by the White House

     

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  • Happy Earth Day!

    Posted by Nancy Sutley on April 22, 2010 at 10:52 AM EDT

    Today, as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, I find myself thinking about some of my favorite childhood places, and how they continue to inspire me to work toward a healthier planet. 

    Many of my fondest memories took place outside. I recall playing in my small backyard in Queens, NY, and sledding with friends in our many neighborhood parks. I also remember my family’s annual vacations to the beach or the mountains, and how I marveled at their beauty. Our outdoor spaces provide a sense of peace and add immeasurably to our quality of life. They give us a chance to experience nature and to be around wildlife, and they fuel our imaginations and our spirits. These places and experiences embolden our sense of duty to protect the environment and our planet from the threat of pollution.

    The Obama Administration has taken great strides to keep our air and water clean, and understands that a healthy environment and a healthy economy go hand in hand. We have made a historic investment through the Recovery Act in clean energy that will create the jobs of tomorrow and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth. In March 2009, the President signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, the most extensive expansion of land and water conservation in more than a generation. And just last Friday, the President signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to promote and support innovative community-level efforts that will help us build a community-centered 21st century conservation agenda that protects the many beautiful places and outdoor traditions of our great Nation from the ground up. We are developing recommendations for a national ocean policy to protect our oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes; we are working to protect and restore Louisiana and Mississippi coastal ecosystems; we have renewed our commitment to restore the California Bay Delta and to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes.

    And that’s just a snapshot of our efforts. But, while the Federal Government must and will play a role, we also need Americans to help lead. The story of the last four decades is about innovation. It’s about the American spirit of ingenuity that we called upon to answer the environmental and public health challenges of 40 years ago, and that will also meet the challenges of today. 

    This Earth Day, we can all learn about the environmental issues of today, and how to take action in our own homes or communities. www.whitehouse.gov/earthday is a valuable resource where you can begin. Happy Earth Day!

    Nancy Sutley is the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality

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  • Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on the Clean Energy Transformation

    Posted by Christina Romer on April 22, 2010 at 10:41 AM EDT

    A central piece of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is more than $90 billion in government investment and tax incentives to lay the foundation for the clean energy economy of the future.  These investments and tax incentives include everything from energy efficiency retrofits to modernizing the electrical grid to tax credits for advanced clean energy manufacturing.  These clean energy investments are also providing crucial stimulus to the economy today.  The CEA’s third quarterly report on the impact of the ARRA, released on April 14, found that the Act as a whole raised employment by between 2.2 million and 2.8 million jobs over what it would otherwise have been.  In a new supplement to the report, we focus in detail on the macroeconomic impact of the Act’s clean energy provisions.
          
    Table 1 lists the clean energy provisions in the ARRA, grouped into nine functional categories.  Column 1 shows that of the original $787 billion estimated cost of the Act, $90 billion was devoted to clean energy programs.  The last two columns indicate that nearly $40 billion of this total has already been obligated for specific clean energy projects, and more than $9 billion has been outlayed.

    042110 CEA Table 1

    To estimate the short-run economic impact of the ARRA’s clean energy investments, we use the CEA macroeconomic model described in our third quarterly report.  Table 3 of the supplement shows the results.  We find that the Recovery Act created more than 80,000 clean energy jobs as of the first quarter of 2010, and that the clean energy investments supported an additional 20,000 jobs throughout the economy.  Importantly, these estimates include only employment related to projects that have received actual outlays to date.  In many cases, the additional $20 billion in obligations shown in Table 1 may have already generated economic activity because recipients may begin spending as soon as they are certain funds are available.  Looking over a longer horizon, the ARRA’s clean energy provisions will support about 720,000 job-years through 2012.  (A job-year is the equivalent of one worker employed for one year.)  Thus the Act will be a source of both employment and progress on clean energy for years to come.

    CEA 042110 Table 3

    Christina Romer is the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.

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  • It Starts with Science

    Posted by Secretary Steven Chu on April 22, 2010 at 9:40 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: To keep up with Secretary Chu day to day, visit his Facebook page.

    I recently traveled to the Middle East on behalf of the Department of Energy. During my time in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, I had the opportunity to engage with leaders of science and industry, visit universities, finalize agreements with other Energy ministers, and see several innovative energy projects firsthand. I was struck by the many opportunities for collaboration among our countries. There is a shared belief that we all must invest in cleaner, alternative sources of energy, while at the same time finding ways to use fossil fuels more efficiently and cleanly. The U.S. wants to be a partner in these efforts, so that, together, we can ensure our prosperity and protect the planet for future generations. 

    That potential for collaboration is especially apparent in education, which is a key priority for all countries. For example, six American universities already have campuses in "Education City" in Qatar, focusing on a broad range of subjects, such as medicine and business, as well as science and engineering.

    During my time in Education City, I had the chance to sit down with an exceptional student named Thouria Mahmoud, who is currently studying journalism at Northwestern University's campus. She represents a generation that is excited by the possibilities that scientific innovation holds for their future - and the role they can play in shaping that future.

    That excitement was the catalyst for much of our conversation. As you can see in the clip below, I shared some experiences from my own academic journey and why I feel science is at the heart of a liberal arts education. I hope you take the chance to view this video and share some insights on your own academic journey and how education can continue to advance our common interests.

    Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.

    Steven Chu is the Secretary of Energy

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  • Open for Questions: Carol Browner on Earth Day at 12:30

    Posted by Katelyn Sabochik on April 22, 2010 at 9:12 AM EDT

    [UPDATE: This event has now concluded.]

    Ed. Note: Please note that the time for the Earth Day live chat with Carol Browner has changed from 12:00 PM EDT to 12:30 PM EDT.

    As part of the Administration’s celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, will take your questions about how the Administration is working to improve the environment, transform American infrastructure for greater energy-efficiency, and build a clean energy economy that supports the jobs of the future. Join us at 12:30 PM EDT.

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  • Ramping Up for Earth Day

    Posted by Katelyn Sabochik on April 21, 2010 at 7:27 PM EDT

    Read the Transcript  |  Download Video: mp4 (330MB) | mp3 (24MB)

    Vice President Biden kicked off Earth Day early this year with the announcement $452 million in Recovery Act funding to support a “Retrofit Ramp-Up” in a speech at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building earlier today.   These funds will make energy efficiency affordable for hundreds of thousands of businesses and homeowners, and create tens of thousands of jobs in the process.

    Investing in retrofits is a triple win.  It’s a win for consumers who save money on their energy bill.  It’s a win for the environment because we’re using less energy, which cuts down on harmful emissions from greenhouse gases.  And, finally, it’s a win for the American economy, because it creates green jobs, jobs that can’t be outsourced. 

    These awards are part of the overall $80 billion Recovery Act investment in clean energy and energy efficiency and take a new approach toward retrofitting homes and businesses for greater energy efficiency and are part of an overall

    These grants are focused on encouraging entire neighborhoods, entire neighborhoods to take advantage of the retrofits all at the same time.  Right now, most retrofit work programs are on a house by house basis.  The construction crew may come into a neighborhood, upgrade one home one week, and then they have to come back to work in a neighborhood home a few weeks later, maybe the same neighborhood.  Well, the Retrofit* Ramp-up* award winners are taking a different approach.  Now, that -- the same construction crew would upgrade all the homes on the same block at the same time.  That saves contractors time and money.  They can pass the savings on to their customers.  And it’s just a much more efficient way to operate.

    The Vice President also reflected the progress Americans have made in cleaning up our environment and reducing our dependence on foreign oil since the first Earth Day forty years ago.

    Since the beginning of the environmental movement, we’ve been trying to transform the way we use energy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels to tap into the vast, untapped, renewable energy sources and to use energy more efficiently.  The fact is we’ve been trying for 40 years, and we’ve made some progress.  But we’re now poised to make significantly greater strides, in our view, than ever because of the unprecedented investment in the Recovery Act and the leadership of the President and the Secretary of Energy.

    In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Obama Administration is kicking off five day’s worth of activities, starting with the Vice President’s announcement today. 

    Over the next few days, officials from across our administration will participate in more than a dozen events to celebrate Earth Day.  We’re getting everyone in the administration involved.  And today, the day before Earth Day, we kick off a week for an administration that for -- literally for every day it’s Earth Day for us.  Because this implicates every aspect of our country’s self-interest, from foreign policy to economic policy to environmental policy to health care policy.  This impacts on every aspect -- every aspect of what kind of country we’re going to leave our kids.
     

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