NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - October 21 - Coinciding with the International Day of Climate Action, National Priorities Project (NPP) has revisioned and updated the Energy area of its Federal Priorities Database. Visitors to the website will find updated national and state-level data related to energy concerns including federal spending for Renewable Energy Research and Development (R&D), Weatherization Assistance for low-income people, and Conservation/Energy-Efficiency R&D. Users of the database can contrast this with federal spending for Fossil Fuel R&D or Nuclear Energy R&D and waste management. 

Database users can also find national and state-level information about total costs and consumption rates for coal, natural gas and petroleum usage, which are key contributors to carbon emissions. Complementary data on the per person consumption of petroleum, motor gasoline and renewable energy are also available, as are numbers on alternative fuel vehicles relative to all registered vehicles. 

"Historical federal spending and issue indicators are the data that can strengthen organizing and actions for change," notes Dr. Barb Chalfonte, NPP's Senior Research Associate. 

350.org which issued the call for action reports that climate experts have established that 350 parts per million (ppm) is the safe upper limit of CO2 in the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 is currently at 390 ppm. Without quick and decisive action to decrease these seriously elevated levels, the opportunity to regain control of climate change may elude us. 

Chalfonte continues, "We invite participants in the International Day of Climate Action, as well as all citizens concerned with climate change, to visit the National Priorities Project Database to investigate state-level impacts of energy-related federal spending."