Energy Ministers of the Americas Come Together in D.C

ScienceBlogs.com
Posted on: April 16, 2010 11:43 AM, by Evan Lerner

In the Western Hemisphere Affairs bureau at the U.S. Department of State, we have been working to advance policies and programs to help create a cleaner, greener space for people throughout the Americas. On April 15 and 16, energy ministers from across the Western Hemisphere, including U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, gathered in Washington D.C. for the Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also participated, remarking that "the fundamental purpose of this partnership is to promote sustainable growth that benefits all of our citizens." I had the honor of being part of the team that organized this important meeting - and was afforded a front row seat on this unique gathering of senior policy makers focused on energy and climate from throughout the hemisphere.

The Ministerial took place just one year after President Obama invited countries to join the U.S. in forming an Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad & Tobago. ECPA brings countries across the Western Hemisphere together to facilitate clean energy development and deployment, advance energy security, and reduce energy poverty. At the Ministerial, Secretary Clinton announced plans to expand ECPA beyond the scope of these energy-based solutions. Now, ECPA will also include efforts on forestry and land use, to address some of the major emission sources in our hemisphere, and adaptation, to assist countries in the region that stand to be hit hardest by climate change.

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