WRI董事会成员Bill Richardson的这篇文章是originally publishedbyThomson Reuters Sustainability.

As a former U.S. energy secretary, UN ambassador and governor of New Mexico, I’ve watched the debate over the Clean Power Plan with keen interest, and I’m hardly alone. This common-sense rule to cut dangerous air pollution and heat-trapping emissions by power plants in the United States has drawn more than 4 million comments in the last year. Now that it has been officially released, it’s important to understand how CPP can help U.S. states and the national economy, while putting the United States in a leadership position in dealing with the international issue of climate change.

First, the plan will make our air safer to breathe by reducing Americans’ exposure to particulate matter and ground-level ozone, benefiting our health and the economy by an estimated $25 billion to $65 billion – far more than the $7 billion to $9 billion cost of compliance, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Positive Economic Impact

But this is only the beginning of the new rule’s potential to spur the U.S. economy, which is likely to grow from $17 now to $24 trillion over the next 15 years. The Energy Information Administration projects new rule’s impact on GDP will be one-tenth of a percentage point, and the impact on unemployment will be essentially zero. That’s consistent with the long-term economic impact of previous environmental progress: U.S. GDP grew by 195 percent between 1970 and 2006, even as the Clean Air Act significantly decreased carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide pollution.

Our economy thrives when we tackle pollution, and that’s what the Clean Power Plan can do, avoiding up to 6,600 premature deaths, as many as 150,000 asthma attacks in children and up to 490,000 missed days of work or school, totaling $93 billion in benefits to public health and our climate.

What will the new rule mean for individual states and their economic success? As a former governor, I know citizens want a clean environment, but not at the expense of a vibrant economy. The latest research shows we can have both, if we’re willing to invest in innovative technology, including technology that fosters renewable energy including solar and wind power.

好消息是,为了自己的利益,许多州已经在做的是已经在做的事情。一些州已经旨在从销售额或更多销售额中获取每年的电力。可再生能源技术价格迅速下跌的因素以及该行业未来增长的巨大潜力以及国家的经济机会很明显。新规则的目标鼓励了朝着低碳能量迈出的明智行动。它提供了充分的灵活性,可以设计最适合他们的方法,让他们为消费者提供最具成本效益,可靠的电力供应。实际上,从最终的规则中,EPA将合规性日期的额外灵活性与有关可再生能源和能源效率的激励措施相结合,这可能会导致全国更强大的实施。

More than Dollars and Sense

清洁能源计划的解决方案不仅仅是美元和意义。在全球范围内,它制定了一个实用框架,该框架将使美国能够达到其短期和中期目标,以减少导致气候变化的排放必威官网是真的吗国际协议解决此问题。

通过解决美国温室气体排放量的单一最大的来源,该计划是该国最重要的近期工具之一,该工具可以帮助达到2025年将排放量降低26-28%以下26-28%的目标。各州的早期行动将有助于确保达到2025目标。该计划还向世界证明,美国将领导全球努力解决气候变化的努力,并准备达到或超过其短期和中期气候变化目标。必威官网是真的吗

随着干旱,热浪,洪水和其他极端气候事件的影响。必威官网是真的吗气候变化影响的现实显而易见。必威官网是真的吗因为这是一个全球问题,所以它需要所有国家的行动。包括美国在内的温室气体排放最高的人需要领先。通过开始采取行动来遏制我们在家中的排放,我们可以刺激我们需要的全球行动。

美国电力部门已开始通过减少其碳排放来“脱碳”,清洁能源计划可以加速全国已经存在的清洁能源投资和能源效率的趋势。但是,美国并不是唯一致力于这些基本变化的国家。

China, the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases, is also the Number 1 investor in renewable energy. To support its goal of having its emissions peak by around 2030, China has committed to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its energy mix by about 20 percent over the next 15 years. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new government aims to install 100 gigawatts of solar generating capacity by 2022, more than eight times the current U.S. capacity. Brazil, another fast-growing economy, is taking important steps to avoid deforestation and increase its share of renewable to 20 percent by 2030. Building on these heartening developments, and with U.S. leadership, there’s great potential for a global climate agreement in Paris this December.