United States Climate Action Partnership

"We are committed to a pathway that will slow, stop and reverse the growth of U.S. emissions."

USCAP News Release

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2007

USCAP Contact: John Files, 202-585-2077, jfiles@webershandwick.com; Parag Chokshi, 202-585-2041, pchokshi@webershandwick.com

U.S. CLIMATE ACTION PARTNERSHIP
LAUNCHES AD CAMPAIGN

Advertising Will Urge Congress to Quickly Enact a Comprehensive, Market-Driven Approach to Address Climate Change

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4 ─The United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) today launched an advertising campaign to advocate for national legislation that includes market approaches to mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The first wave of advertising will run through the end of this year, and will include print and radio spots.

The campaign’s first ad appears in publications today. The ad emphasizes the growth in USCAP’s diverse membership and outlines key policy recommendations, including:

  • Enacting an economy-wide cap-and-trade law,
  • Creating an emissions inventory,
  • Allowing credit for early action; and,
  • Establishing policies to accelerate the development of low- and zero-emitting technologies, such as carbon sequestration.

The ad lists by name all six of the environmental organizations and 27 corporations that comprise the current membership of the group. The ad was created by Sawyer Miller Advertising and Powell Tate.

“The time to act on climate change is now," said Peter O’Toole, Director of Public Relations for General Electric. "The launch of USCAP’s advocacy campaign underscores the commitment our diverse coalition has made to addressing climate change. USCAP’s advertising campaign urges Congress to enact legislation that would allow market forces to help lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

David Yarnold, Executive Vice President for Environmental Defense, said: “U.S. leadership on this issue is essential to establishing a fair and effective global framework to deal with climate change. We know enough to act and America has an opportunity to lead. We hope these ads will be a catalyst for Congress to establish comprehensive market-based legislation, including a mandatory cap-and-trade system.”

The first phase of advertising will run in selected print and electronic media including Roll Call, The Hill and Politico.

USCAP is a landmark coalition of 6 environmental NGO's and 27 businesses that has called on Congress to quickly enact legislation setting long-term emissions reductions targets, with a nationwide cap-and-trade approach and other complementary policies. USCAP hopes its recommendations will minimize the large-scale adverse effects of climate change for humans and the natural environment.

Driven by top executives of the member organizations, USCAP has operated by consensus-based approach, seeking to balance interests across industries and regions to create the best economic path to reducing greenhouse gas concentrations.

USCAP members represent a broad cross-section of the U.S. economy, including: the transportation sector, financial services, mining and metals, oil and gas, manufacturing, chemicals, energy and electric power, agribusiness, healthcare, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, buildings, and construction equipment.

Collectively, USCAP companies have total revenues of nearly $2 trillion and a combined market capitalization of more than $2.2 trillion. Member companies employ more than 2.7 million workers – with operations in all 50 states and nearly every country in the world. The non-governmental organizations, leaders in environmental and conservation issues, include a combined membership of more than 2 million worldwide.

In January, USCAP issued its solutions-based report, titled A Call for Action, laying out the following six key principles:

  • Account for the global dimensions of climate change;
  • Recognize the importance of technology;
  • Be environmentally effective;
  • Create economic opportunity and advantage;
  • Be fair to sectors disproportionately impacted; and,
  • Recognize and encourage early action.

USCAP has also recommended that Congress establish short- and mid-term emission reduction targets; a national program to accelerate technology research, development and deployment; and approaches to encourage action by other countries, including the developing world.

The founding members of USCAP are Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, Duke Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, Inc., General Electric, PG&E, and PNM Resources, as well as Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pew Center on Global Climate Change and World Resources Institute.

Twenty additional organizations have joined the partnership this year: American International Group (AIG), Alcan, Boston Scientific, ConocoPhillips, Deere & Company, The Dow Chemical Company, the Exelon Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corp., Johnson & Johnson, Marsh, NRG Energy, PepsiCo, Rio Tinto, Shell, Siemens, The Chrysler Group, The Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation and Xerox.

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