Press Release
July 17, 2014
Contact Laura Rehrmann, press@c2es.org, 703-516-0621

Bob Perciasepe named new president of C2ES

WASHINGTON – The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) announced today that Bob Perciasepe, deputy administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will become the organization’s next president.

Perciasepe, who has spent more than 30 years as an environmental policy leader in and outside government, will succeed Eileen Claussen, the center’s founding president. In addition to holding several senior posts at EPA, Perciasepe served as Maryland’s Secretary of the Environment and was the chief operating officer of the National Audubon Society.

“I’m honored and excited to be taking the helm of an organization that’s done so much to build common ground for practical climate and energy solutions,” Perciasepe said. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to bring diverse interests together to protect both our environment and our economy. I’m eager to continue that work at C2ES at such a critical time, when we have both the opportunity and obligation to forge lasting climate solutions.”

Launched in 2011, C2ES is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting strong policy and action to address the twin challenges of energy and climate change. C2ES is the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, long recognized in the United States and abroad as a pragmatic voice on climate issues.

“Bob Perciasepe is a proven leader with the experience and expertise to make C2ES an even stronger force for sensible climate and energy solutions,” said C2ES Board Chair Theodore Roosevelt IV, a managing director at Barclays. “He’s exactly the sort of bridge builder we need to effectively engage government, business, individuals, and a wide range of stakeholders, all of whom must work together to find common-sense solutions.”

“The board is delighted to have found such a capable leader to build on the solid foundation laid by Eileen Claussen,” Roosevelt said. “We’re grateful to Eileen for her vision and exceptional leadership, and are confident she’ll continue making a significant contribution on these vital issues.”

Perciasepe, 63, has built a reputation for level-headed, intelligent leadership as EPA deputy administrator since 2009. He first joined EPA in 1993 to lead the water office before taking charge of the agency’s clean air program in 1998. As assistant administrator for air and radiation, Perciasepe led efforts to reduce sulfur levels in gasoline and diesel fuel and laid the groundwork for lowering mercury emissions from power plants.

As chief operating officer of the National Audubon Society, one of the nation’s oldest conservation organizations, Perciasepe worked to protect wetlands and expand environmental education. He has also held top positions in state and municipal government, including as Secretary of the Environment for the state of Maryland and as a senior planning official for the city of Baltimore.

C2ES has consistently been named among the top five environmental think tanks in the world by the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Go-To Think Tank Index. The C2ES Business Environmental Leadership Council, comprised of 31 mostly Fortune 500 companies in a wide array of sectors, is the largest U.S.-based group of companies devoted to climate- and energy-related policies and solutions./business/belc

C2ES programs focus on understanding and managing climate change risks, promoting innovative climate and energy policies, and offering practical solutions to climate and energy challenges. Recent efforts include:

• Analyzing federal policies to address climate change and reduce emissions.
• Examining how top businesses are coping with increased climate risks.
• Exploring ways to build flexibility and ambition into a new global climate agreement.
• Promoting innovative finance to speed the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles.
• Building a broad coalition to encourage using captured carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery.
• Helping individuals reduce their carbon footprint.

Perciasepe will start as C2ES president on August 11.

Claussen, who held senior posts at the State Department, National Security Council, and Environmental Protection Agency before launching the Center, announced last fall she would be leaving the organization she founded and has led for 16 years. She plans to explore teaching and writing.

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 2011, C2ES is the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Learn more at www.c2es.org.