Kerry: Climate Change Legislation Would Stimulate Economy, Create Jobs

Kerry: Climate Change Legislation Would Stimulate Economy, Create Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee and lead author of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, today argued the tremendous opportunities for job creation as part of comprehensive climate change legislation and dismissed reports presented at today’s hearing that failed to factor in the immense potential of alternative energy job creation.

“Climate change and clean energy legislation are the biggest stimulus we could provide our economy,” said Sen. Kerry. “Experts tell us that it will drive millions of new jobs and major improvements in every sector of the energy economy. State by state, a smart energy bill can deliver growth and jobs. Failure to act or failure to lead would be catastrophic. We’re seeing those results already. Today, only five of the top thirty solar, wind, and advanced battery companies are based in the United States. Climate change and energy legislation will jump-start our economy by creating good-paying jobs in every region of the country. The American workforce stands as a key reason for passing this essential legislation.”

Today, Germany has created 280,000 renewable energy jobs and employs more people in its renewable energy sector than in the legendary German auto industry. A major study from the University of California, Berkeley found that comprehensive climate change legislation will create 1.9 million net jobs by 2020.

Kerry, U.N.'s Ban upbeat on climate prospects

By Richard Cowan and Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator John Kerry said on Tuesday he will try to "outline" a compromise climate control bill before December's international global warming conference and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gave an upbeat assessment of Washington's intentions.

"From what I heard today, there is great support in the Senate for action on climate change," Ban told reporters following a meeting with a small group of senators in the U.S. Capitol to encourage them on.

Ban repeated a prediction that the December 7-18 U.N. global warming summit in Copenhagen will not produce a final deal on a new international regime for severely reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

But he said he held out hope for a "robust" foundation being built in Copenhagen and said further progress by the U.S. Senate on domestic goals for reducing carbon dioxide pollution would send a "strong message" to the assembled 192 countries.

Kerry, a Democrat who is coordinating work on a Senate compromise bill, told reporters: "We are engaged in a process that will hopefully put us in a position to go to Copenhagen with a framework or outline of where the Senate will be heading in legislation."

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