http://climateprogress.org/2010/10/20/renewable-standards-will-create-two-million-jobs-right-wing-candidates-kill-them/REPORT: Renewable standards will create two million jobs, unless right-wing candidates kill them
October 20, 2010
This Wonk Room cross post is by CAP’s Richard Caperton and Rebecca Lefton.
Congress may be stalling on clean energy and climate reform, but states are not waiting for the federal government to capture the economic and job benefits of the clean energy economy. Government leaders are racing ahead at the state level with clean-energy and climate policies to lessen dependence on dirty fossil fuels, provide safe and reliable sources of energy, and –especially vital in today’s economy—create jobs. Already, 35 states and Washington, DC, have renewable energy standard policies in place, which set targets for how much of a utility’s electricity sales must come from renewable power sources. Thirty of these standards are mandatory, while the remaining six are less-stringent goals.
Our analysis of the current renewable energy programs underway across states finds that meeting these targets will create more than 2 million jobs. But the upcoming elections may slam the brakes on these new clean energy jobs.
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