The U.S. competitive position in the clean energy sector is deteriorating, as the country slipped to third place in terms of the amount of private investment directed to the G-20 economies, according to a new report released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Until 2008, the U.S. had held the top spot, which is now firmly held by China. Globally, 2010 clean energy finance and investments grew by 30 percent to a record $243 billion.
When burned, the coal threatens to release more than 3.9
billion tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, equal to the annual emissions
from 300 coal-fired power plants, further cementing the United States as a
leading contributor to climate disruption. Furthermore, coal’s pollution is dangerous to public health
and contributes to four of the five leading causes of death in the United
States.
EPA has been unable to confirm any improvement in terms of the savings delivered by programmable thermostats and has no credible basis for continuing to extend the current Energy Star specification.
While our investment has actually declined in recent years, China is going “all-in. Notice how, of the $21.1 billion of U.S. investment, only $2.5 billion is public money.
