Statement of Bob Perciasepe
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

January 12, 2016

On the State of the Union address:

President Obama is right when he says we have a huge opportunity to accelerate our efforts to transition to a clean energy future.

We saw unprecedented momentum last year with the completion of the Clean Power Plan and a landmark global agreement in Paris. Our job now is to build on this foundation going forward.

At home, many states are working hard on strategies to implement the Clean Power Plan, and we’re encouraged to see so many of them exploring efficient market-based approaches. Internationally, we must flesh out the details of the Paris agreement to ensure that countries are held accountable and ramp up their efforts over time. On both fronts, strong leadership from business will be critical.

Americans increasingly understand both the risks and the opportunities presented by climate change. The investments and innovation that help us generate clean power and protect our communities from extreme weather and other climate impacts also help build a more sustainable economy. 

C2ES is committed to continue working with policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders to forge common ground and commonsense climate solutions.

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Contact: Laura Rehrmann, rehrmannl@c2es.org or 703-516-0621

About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting strong policy and action to address the challenges of energy and climate change. Learn more at www.c2es.org.