Author: Daniel Stouffer Added: January 27, 2010
Energy use in the United States will take a new form, as President Obama's new Executive Order 13514 on Energy Reform takes the center stage of energy use. President Obama has received some criticism for not being more vocal in his support for climate change, for not recognizing that the USA must take a lead in environmental issues. After signing his latest executive order, energy change advocates granted him some credibility for at least taking a step to curb the carbon emissions of the country's largest polluter, the federal government. Through the release of an executive order, energy reform and emission reduction has gained a significant spotlight around the country. President Obama's latest EO may have been received with little fanfare in the populist media, but is likely to have a very significant effect on overall energy use in the United States. Pres. George W. Bush was known for his reticence when it came to anything associated with climate change and energy restrictions. While he was responsible for his own executive order on the overall subject, it did not directly address the subject of carbon emissions. Through Obama's executive order 13514, energy use must be curtailed at federal agency level. Every agency had been ordered to come up with an emissions reduction target within 10 years. Once these figures have been determined, each agency must put in place provisions to ensure that they achieve the percentage reduction. In order to address the requirements of the executive order, energy reduction requirements and reporting needs, agency chiefs must first take stock of their existing greenhouse gas emissions inventories. The federal government has never been asked to show the size of its own carbon footprint and the agencies will undoubtedly face considerable challenge as they try and determine the scale for the first time. As the largest consumer of energy in the country, the federal government would consequently be the largest greenhouse gas emissions producer. The chronic problem of carbon emissions in the United States will be bound to be significantly affected by the new executive order on Energy Reform. Federal employees will be helped in getting acquainted with innovative measures and best practices in conducting business. Best practices need to be established by officials of the federal agency by working together, as stipulated in the new executive order. To help the federal government assess the ultimate efficiency of its carbon emissions reduction initiatives, solutions will be needed to help gather and interpret data on reduction targets. Pres. President Obama's administration faces major challenges in addressing climate change and environmental issues. Countries around the world will soon gather to debate a new international protocol and as legislation stalls in the U.S. Congress, the latest executive order takes on additional meaning.
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