PCAP Plan Two Page Summary - Presidential Climate Action Project

Ten Recommendations for President Obama
To Build a Clean Energy Economy
1. Complete the job of capping or pricing carbon. Take the case for climate action directly to the
American people. Send Congress clear criteria for pricing, capping or trading carbon and work with a
“coalition of the willing” on Capitol Hill to produce a bill that meets the criteria. Make clear that in the
meantime, EPA will continue and expand its regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Retool federal fiscal policy. Make de-carbonization a goal of income tax reform, building on the
soon-to-be completed carbon audit of the tax code by the National Academy of Sciences. Revive the
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to identify other fiscal barriers to clean
energy in the government’s ~2,300 programs including its farm and transportation policies.
In addition, direct the Department of Energy to develop methodology to measure the full life-cycle
costs and benefits of different energy resources and to propose an energy subsidy performance
standard that sets minimum standards for federal support of energy resources, technologies and
industries. With such a standard, the President need not oppose any energy industry; instead, he’d
oppose air pollution, the social costs of carbon, national and domestic security vulnerabilities, energy
interruption costs, unstable energy prices and supplies, energy waste, negative net energy production,
high levels of water consumption, etc.
3. Make America the most energy-efficient industrial economy in the world. Our economy wastes
86% of the energy it consumes – a major impediment to productivity, profits and international
competitiveness. Challenge all sectors of the economy to make the United States the most energyefficient
industrial economy in the world. Support the campaign by creating a one-stop shop for access
to federal energy efficiency programs and by stepping up federal government efficiency efforts.
Support the comprehensive package of energy efficiency policy ideas being developed by the Alliance
Commission on National Energy Efficiency.
4. Develop a national roadmap to an advanced energy economy. A new analysis by the Center for
Climate Policy concludes that 20 clean energy policies adopted by local, state and/or the federal
government would fulfill President Obama’s carbon-reduction goals shortly after 2020, while creating
1.2 million new full-time jobs and $88 billion of additional GDP by 2020, improving national energy
security, and cutting oil imports by 5 billion barrels between now and 2030. However, the lack of a clear
and consistent national energy policy is resulting in sub-optimal collaboration between the three levels
of government and uncoordinated federal energy efforts, and is inhibiting private sector investments in
clean energy. President Obama acknowledges that federal energy programs are a “hodgepodge”.
Appoint a presidential task force of governors, mayors, economists, energy experts and industries to
frame a roadmap to an advanced energy economy, including clear goals, milestones and performance
measures, off ramps for carbon-intensive energy and on-ramps for clean energy. Direct the task force to
propose elements of a “compassionate transition” to clean energy in which workers, communities and
regions dependent on oil and coal production are given priority in federal job training and economic
development programs.

5. Make sustainable development a national security imperative. Ensure that sustainable development
has a central role in national security strategy. Adamantly defend the Department of Defense goal to
obtain 25% of its energy from renewable resources by 2025 and direct DoD to work with the military
leaders of our allies to adopt similar goals. Direct the Department of Energy to assess how large the
military market for renewables would have to be to achieve economies of manufacturing scale that
lower prices for everyone. Make clear to the American people that every household and community has
a role in national security by reducing its use of fossil fuels, becoming more resilient, and helping
mitigate and adapt to global climate change.
6. Increase America’s mobility options. Inform Congress that to ensure the President’s support, the 2014
transportation reauthorization bill must be designed to reduce America’s use of petroleum and increase
mobility options for the American people, including elderly, young, disabled, minority and low-income
people who cannot operate or afford automobiles.
7. Empower state and local leadership. Champion ample funding and authorities, and reduce
unnecessary barriers in federal programs, to help states and communities establish, sustain and expand
their clean energy and climate programs. For example, plan to use savings from repealed oil and coal
subsidies for a revenue-neutral increase in funding for the State Energy Program.
8. Intensify carbon diplomacy. Negotiate additional bilateral and multi-lateral agreements on clean
energy technologies. Make the U.S. a leader in carrying out the Durban Platform, in part by informing
other nations that the United States is now on the path to achieve nearly 70% of President Obama’s goal
for reducing carbon emissions by 2020. In concert with Canada, Mexico and other supporting nations,
continue pushing for rapid reduction of HFCs domestically under the Clean Air Act and internationally
under the Montreal Protocol.
9. Develop Genuine Progress Indicators. Adopt metrics on public health, education, food security,
housing availability, civic engagement and other quality-of-life factors not measured by GDP. Report
America’s progress every two years in the State of the Union address.
10. Fully Utilize the Bully Pulpit. Public opinion polls show consistently that voters support energy
efficiency and renewable energy, preferring them to fossil fuels. Polls this year also show that clear
majorities now accept the reality of climate change and the need for Washington to act. Build on this
foundation by communicating directly and often with the American people to create a mandate for the
Administration and the Congress to confront climate change and expedite our transition to clean energy.
Use social media and state-of-the-art visual communications to help people share their ideas and better
understand what a clean energy economy will mean to their communities and lives.
Resources:
• PCAP’s action plans for 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012
• 2012 National Advisory Committee
• Wingspread Principles on the U.S. Response to Global Warming:
• Legal analyses of President’s executive powers: February 2008 and July 2008.
About PCAP: The Presidential Climate Action Project is a private-sector initiative that has convened some
of America’s most important thought leaders to develop clean energy and climate action ideas the
President of the United States could implement under his existing authorities, without further action by

Congress. Foundations and individuals fund PCAP. It has produced five reports since its inception in 2007.
For more information, see the project’s web site at www.cllimateactionproject.com or contact Executive
Director William Becker at beckerncs@gmail.com.