Council on Competitiveness Paves the Way to Copenhagen

Download the Global Call to Action

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, at the National Energy Summit & International Dialogue, the Council on Competitiveness rolled out a series of public-private sector action items to enhance global energy security and sustainability. According to the Council, today's energy challenges cannot be met independently and will require an international commitment. The Council called on all nations to:

• Establish clear and transparent price signals that reflect the external environmental cost of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Incorporate life-cycle energy costs into all government and private-sector strategic plans.
• Remove regulatory barriers and provide incentives for innovation.
• Protect intellectual property rights, which are critical to private-sector investment and innovation.
• Educate and train citizens to develop and deploy cutting-edge sustainable energy solutions.

The Council's recommendations were presented by a unique group of top international executives and university presidents including:

• Dr. David M. Abshire, President, Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress
• Mr. Raphael Diamond, President and CEO, Securing America's Future Energy
• Mr. Charles O. Holliday, Jr., Chairman, Council on Competitiveness; Chairman, DuPont
• The Hon. Shirley Ann Jackson, Vice Chairman, Council on Competitiveness; Co-Chair, ESIS Initiative; President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• The Hon. Alexander "Andy" Karsner, Member, Steering Committee, Energy Future Coalition; Member, Board of Directors, Applied Materials, Inc.
• Mr. Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute
• Mr. James H. Quigley, Co-Chair, TransAtlantic Business Dialogue; CEO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
• Mr. Björn Stigson, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Mr. Strobe Talbott, President, The Brookings Institution
• The Hon. Deborah Wince-Smith, President, Council on Competitiveness
• The Hon. Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation

Click here to see the complete list of recommendations.

The Council and its global partners will work together to ensure that the private sector plays a leading role in shaping the outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 (COP15) in Copenhagen.

Watch the second day of The National Energy Summit & International Dialogue live at www.compete.org/nes.   

The Summit is presented by the Council on Competitiveness and features Newsweek as the exclusive media partner. For more information go to http://www.compete.org/nes or contact Matthew Faraci at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

Return to News Release Index