Published Monday, 04 June 2007

Understanding and comparing the climate and energy debate in the US and EU 

IEEP and our partner the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have launched two parallel briefings highlighting the nature of policies and debate on climate and energy in both Europe and the US.

These reports are unique in the way they collate action in the key spheres of energy policy ie cap and trade, bioenergy, nuclear, renewables and carbon capture and storage. The formats for the parallel reports mirror each other allowing comparisons to be drawn between EU and US practice.

The need for action to combat climate change is pressing and urgent. While there is much debate and rhetoric regarding climate action, for example in international fora such as at the G8 in Heiligendamm, words must be translated into tangible change. IEEP and NRDC are working with civil society under the Transatlantic Platform for Action on the Global Environment (T-PAGE) programme to help increase understanding regarding the energy sector’s contribution to combating climate change.

Ultimately the work will help develop an open debate amongst civil society on the issues at hand and thereby lead to the development of better solutions.

These first two papers under T-PAGE represent a basis from which later conclusions will be built. Conclusions will be presented at a conference in Washington DC during the Spring of 2008.

For further details of this work please contact Catherine Bowyer

We would like to thank the European Commission for partially funding this work.