March 25, 2002—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a key component of the Bush Administration’s new climate policy, called Climate Leaders. This new voluntary partnership challenges businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and provides a significant opportunity to achieve the greenhouse gas intensity reductions set forth in the Administration’s new policy.
Companies joining as charter members in the Climate Leaders program have committed to complete a corporate-wide greenhouse gas inventory and work with EPA to set an emissions reduction target. These companies represent a diverse group of energy-intensive and service-oriented companies. In the coming months, the Administration will aggressively pursue additional corporate partners representing a wide spectrum of the US economy.
The Climate Leaders Charter Partners are:
- FPL Group Inc., (Juno Beach, Florida)
- General Motors Corporation (Detroit, Michigan)
- Holcim (US) Inc. (Dundee, Michigan)
- Interface Inc. (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Lockheed Martin (Bethesda, Maryland)
- Miller Brewing Company (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- Norm Thompson Outfitters (Portland, Oregon)
- S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. (Racine, Wisconsin)
- Cinergy Corporation, (Cincinnati Ohio)
- Bethlehem Steel Corporation (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
- PSEG (Newark, New Jersey)
Climate Leaders Partners work with EPA to develop corporate-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories and set aggressive, long-term GHG reduction goals. Partners develop their greenhouse gas inventory using the Climate Leaders’ Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Protocol. Companies report emissions of the six major greenhouse gases from all major on-site emissions of greenhouse gases and emissions related to the electricity they purchase. Companies may also report emissions and reductions from a number of other activities including investments in offset projects. The Climate Leaders Protocol is based on an existing protocol developed by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
After Partners complete their greenhouse gas inventory, EPA will work closely with them to develop a customized emissions reduction target. These targets must be aggressive long-term targets that exceed business-as-usual performance for the Partner’s sector. For more information on Climate Leaders, contact Cynthia Cummis at 202/564-3480.
