|
WASHINGTON - October 31 - A new World Wildlife Fund
study released today indicates that energy efficiency policies and
development of renewable energy resources could result in 750,000
new jobs nationwide over the next nine years and 1.3 million new
jobs by 2020. According to the study "Clean Energy: Jobs for
America's Future," the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) would also
increase by $23 billion by 2010 and continue to grow under such
conditions. The net increase in U.S. GDP would be $43.9 billion by
2020.
"This study shows that a responsible approach to energy policy
can help us meet the challenge of climate change while still
benefiting the economy and creating new jobs," added Brooks Yeager,
vice president of Global Threats for World Wildlife Fund. "A
serious and sustained national effort to improve the energy
efficiency of our cars, trucks and buildings will offer us a better
future with sustainable economic growth and allow us to conserve
irreplaceable wilderness refuges for future generations."
A related benefit would be an additional $220 increase in annual
wage and salary earnings per household by 2010, increasing to $400
per household by 2020.
The policies analyzed in the WWF study would serve national
interests in reducing American demand and therefore, dependency on
oil. The study shows that these policies also create more jobs and
offer greater economic benefits than can be generated by drilling
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge despite the unsubstantiated
claims of drilling proponents.
The portfolio of policies analyzed in the study are as follows.
-- Buildings and Industry Sector
-- Appliance Standards
-- Building Codes
-- Voluntary Measures
-- Research and Development
-- Public Benefits Fund
-- Tax Credits
-- Combined Heat and Power and District Energy Systems
Electric Sector
-- Renewable Portfolio Standard
-- NOx/SO2 Cap and Trade
-- Carbon Cap and Trade
Transport Sector
-- Light Duty Vehicle Efficiency Improvements
-- Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency Improvements
-- Aircraft Efficiency Improvements
-- Greenhouse Gas Standards for Fuels
-- Travel Demand Reductions and High Speed Rail
The study is based on research and analysis conducted by the
Tellus Institute on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund. The data
used in the study is from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy
Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook for 2001 and
Bureau of Labor Statistics' Economic and Employment Projections.
Copies of the World Wildlife Fund study "Clean Energy: Jobs for
America's Future" are available at
www.worldwildlifefund.org/climate
This news release and associated material can be found on
www.worldwildlife.org
###
|
