In 1998, despite his symbolic signature, Vice President Al Gore saw the Kyoto Protocol sacrificed to economic considerations. Nine years later, Gore’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize shows that his cause has regained momentum. What is more, green thinking has taken hold in both the public and private sector. The idea that environmental protection comes at the expense of economic growth has long been the reigning opinion in political circles, but this attitude is beginning to change. Increasingly, business and government agree that while environmental protection may have a short-term adverse economic impact, in the long-term, green business can create millions of jobs and reinvigorate American competitiveness.

Finding Opportunity in Crisis
At a New Hampshire campaign stop in late July, presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton announced her plan for a “Green Building Fund.” In a Clinton administration, she said, $1 billion would be allocated to states to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings. While buildings are the number one emitter of greenhouse gases, the reduction of CO2 caused by the Green Building Fund is not the only appeal of Clinton’s plan. According to the Clinton campaign, the Green Building Fund would chip away at the costs associated with energy inefficiency and create up to 50,000 “green collar” jobs.

Hillary Clinton is not the only presidential candidate who believes that environmental protection can improve America’s standing in the global job market. Every major Democrat running for president supports efforts to create new green jobs in skilled manufacturing, research, and technology development. Barack Obama’s website best summarizes the sentiment that Democrats seem to share: “Transitioning to a clean-energy economy represents a tremendous opportunity for American workers.”

Other members of Congress also believe that financial incentives are the most effective method of promoting green business practices. A successful wind farm engineer before his election to Congress in 2006, Representative Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., is enthusiastic about public-private cooperation on green business. When asked by the HPR how the government can encourage development of alternative energy, McNerney proposed that Congress mandate renewable portfolio standards for energy production, provide tax credits for clean energy producers, and fund the development of alternative energy. Successful research and development of green energy will have benefits beyond environmental protection, he said, it will also give a much-needed boost to the American economy. Looking ahead, McNerney predicted: “I see green business exploding…like Silicon Valley did twenty years ago.”

From Soot to Green
Big business has often been perceived as a villain blocking the path to a greener world. It is no secret that major industries have ferociously resisted efforts to become more environmentally friendly, citing prohibitive costs. However, this perception is being shattered by an eclectic array of companies that have embraced “green business.” This shift has not occurred because of a newfound sense of altruism in corporate boardrooms; instead, businesses have realized that “green” technology may become extremely profitable in the coming decades.

Smokestacks and black skies have traditionally been associated with the energy industry, so when its leaders began to embrace green business practice, it became clear that the industry was serious about cleaning up its act. Duke Energy, led by CEO Jim Rogers, is noteworthy for taking a leadership role within the power industry to promote alternative energy and energy efficiency. Through the industry’s lobbying arm, the Edison Electric Institute, Rogers has testified before Congress in favor of a cap-and-trade method of controlling emissions. Echoing this proposal, Duke Energy spokesman Tom Williams told the HPR: “The sooner we put a price on greenhouse gas emissions, the better off we’ll be.” Recognizing that carbon emission regulation is inevitable, the energy industry is realizing that it is better off seizing the opportunity to meet future demand than burying its head in the sand.

Once seen as a far-left issue that forced people to choose trees over dollars, saving the environment is now presented as an opportunity for economic growth. Congress and the next president have a chance to create jobs and promote creative businesses practices, but they have to act fast. Today, unlike ten years ago, the question is no longer if businesses will go green, but rather who will pioneer the movement.¨ ]]>http://hprsite.squarespace.com/green-is-good-112007/rss-comments-entry-1373372.xml