Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked the U.S. to become world’s 21st-century clean energy superpower at the annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas held on Thursday.
She pointed out the problems climate change is already causing today, including extreme weather and droughts and urged businesses and the government to build up the renewable sector during the summit at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Nevada.
Clinton began her remarks with the threat of global climate change as real, the most consequential, urgent, sweeping collection of challenges faced by the nation and the world.
The data is unforgiving. No matter what the deniers try to assert. Sea levels are rising. Ice caps are melting. Storms, droughts and wildfires are wreaking havoc. The threat is real but so is the opportunity, remarked, the former first lady.
In her speech, Clinton mentioned the work of the Clinton Climate Initiative arm of a foundation founded in 2005 by former President Bill Clinton.
If hard choices in smart investment like infrastructure, technology and environmental protection are made together, America can be the clean energy superpower for the 21st century, commented, Clinton.
Moreover, she made an optimistic hint for clean energy investment as a means to create jobs, grow the environment, compete with China, and reduce greenhouse emissions.
She rebuked the false choice debate between the environment and the economy, saying that with the right tax incentives and policies to nurture growth, there was great potential for renewables.
She mentioned energy efficiency retrofits for buildings, a trademark of the Clinton Climate Initiative as the most discounted opportunity in country.
Specifically, she pointed out that drillers have to regulate leaks of methane, the potent greenhouse gas and called for smart regulations on safe drilling.
Clinton went on to make the statement that the clean energy future she foresees is not some kind of a dream, mentioning Nevada as an example.
Nevada was economical because it had already invested in green energy, solar, geothermal and wind, Clinton said.
She proclaimed the growing presence of wind and solar projects across the country and praised Nevada for investing more than $5.5 billion into renewable energy projects.
Right now, the electric car manufacturer Telsa announced it had selected the state for a massive new battery factory that will be powered by wind and solar energy, she noted.
On climate regulations, Clinton praised Obamas’ usage of executive authority through the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce greenhouse gasses, and expressed that more needs to be done. Now we have to step up and build on that success, she said.
Overall, Clinton said, the efforts of the U.S. to combat climate change needed to be enhanced to ensure that the country would continue to lead on the world’s stage.
Clinton talked rigid on Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying that she’d like to see European countries expand their energy supply to become less reliant on Russian oil.