Livine: Businesses in U.S. Brace for New Rules on Emissions

I’ve chosen for an article about the reducing of the emissions that cause the global warming. I think that’s a very interesting article because it’s important for our future, health and the planet. It’s also a very active topic.

The companies have waited a long time for the day that they would be obligated to reduce their emissions who cause the global warming. Wednesday 25/11/2009, President Obama has proposed a national goal for such reductions.

A lot of American companies have already thought what they should do to achieve these standards. Many have made their conclusion years ago that it’s unavoidable that they must do something and they wanted to know what exact rules there are. Many companies have registered their emissions to analyze their results. Some of them have already made notable progress.

Big companies as General Electric, Ford Motor Company and PepsiCo have worked with environmental groups to found the United States Climate Action Partnership, an association where they can look for solutions to decrease the emissions in the whole economy.

Mal-Mart, the biggest retailer, has outlined strict targets to rebate the energy consumption in his stores and he has given thousands of his suppliers the instruction to report their energy consumption and their carbon dioxide emissions.

Duke Energy, a power company says that clear rules are necessary to make sure that all the companies who are familiar with coal-fired power plants can finance their transition to lower carbon fuels, natural gases or nuclear energy.

The leadership of the White House is required and the only way to get a bill by the Senate. A bill means certainty and clarity and this is what the companies need.

Until now, the U.S is the only industrialized economy who fairs the targets for reducing the greenhouse. Limiting the greenhouse means the anguish of the energy-intensive companies like petroleum refineries and coal-fired power plants and elucidating the development of alternative energy like sun and wind. The U.S claims that this will lead to higher energy costs and petroleum accounts, less domestic production and an increase of fuel import and a slower growing economy.
Luckily, their are still some companies like Apple and Nike who contradict this and support the reduction of the emissions. They think that its urgent time for changes and that the companies have to take control and should invest in sustainable business and have to look for innovative solutions.

There are many projects but there’s still no agreement that can ensure that the targets of the President will be pursued.

I agree with Apple and Nike, it’s in the hands of the companies and they need to do something before it’s too late and it’s in the interests of everyone. So the companies have a great responsibility. We just live ones so we have to take care for our planet and think at our children and their future.


You can read the article on: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/energy-environment/26emissions.html?scp=5&sq=corporate%20finance&st=cse


Greet!
Livine