President-elect Barack Obama has barely had time to go to the pet store with his children since winning the November 04 Presidential election – but he is already being forced into action.
Having already announced his economic team to wade off the effects of a mounting global crisis, he is now being prompted to push for a green-based economic recovery.
Enormous federal government investment in clean technology is expected to provide the low-cost capital to accelerate energy efficiency as well as build renewable energy products and jumpstart a sustainable low-carbon economy. Described as the Green New Deal, Obama has already outlined plans to create 2.5 million jobs, partly through the manufacturing of green cars. He hopes to free the US of its dependence on foreign oil.
Green issues were one of the central themes during Obama’s campaign as he outlined plans to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and to have 25 per cent of US energy come from renewable sources by 2025.
It is believed that the public will respond to economic pressures – earlier this year Americans drove less for the first time in two decades as petrol prices soared.
So should Obama act fast to implement his green strategies or should he move cautiously given the economic downturn? How much of a role do you think that green jobs can play in America’s economic future? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
