C2ES’s Claussen on the presidential election results

Statement of Eileen Claussen
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

November 6, 2012

“Capping a year of record heat, drought and wildfires, Hurricane Sandy has just driven home to Americans like never before the here-and-now costs of climate change. With the election behind him and Sandy’s full impact still mounting, President Obama has an opportunity and an obligation to press the case for stronger climate action.

“No one is better placed than the president to help Americans understand both the risks of a warming climate and the opportunities of a clean-energy transition.  While Sandy’s lessons are still fresh, the president should be clear about the urgency of cutting carbon emissions and strengthening critical infrastructure to protect Americans against the rising costs of climate change.

“We urge President Obama to ensure that EPA pushes forward with strong, sensible greenhouse gas standards and allows states to meet them with market-based approaches. We also urge the president and Congress to place climate change alongside the nation’s other pressing challenges, and to consider approaches such as a carbon tax that can help solve more than one at the same time.  We look forward to working with the new Administration and Congress on common-sense climate and energy solutions.”

Contact: Laura Rehrmann, 703-516-4146, press@c2es.org

About C2ES
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting strong policy and action to address the twin challenges of energy and climate change. Launched in November 2011, C2ES is the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Learn more at www.c2es.org.