Obama's Climate Agenda: A New Era of Government-Led Emissions Reduction

President Obama has signed an executive order directing the federal government to cut its greenhouse-gas emissions by 40 percent from 2008 levels over the next decade, and to increase the share of renewable energy in the government's electricity supply to 30 percent over the same period. The government and private sector have pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 26 million tons by 2025, the equivalent of taking nearly 5.5 million cars off the road for a year. The move comes as the president met with Britain's Prince Charles to discuss global warming and corporate social responsibility.

Key Takeaways:

• The federal government aims to cut its greenhouse-gas emissions by 40 percent from 2008 levels over the next decade, with a target of 30 percent of its electricity supply coming from renewable energy by 2025.
• Private sector suppliers, including IBM, General Electric, and Honeywell, have pledged to reduce their carbon emissions by 5 million metric tons over the next 10 years, compared with 2008 levels.
• The government and private sector commitments would cut overall U.S. emissions by 26 million tons by 2025, the equivalent of taking nearly 5.5 million cars off the road for a year.
• The federal government has already cut its overall emissions by 17 percent since Obama took office, saving $1.8 billion through reduced energy use in federal buildings.
• The new measures are expected to save $18 billion, with the federal government's largest energy consumer, the military, accounting for roughly half of its total energy use.
• The federal government's greenhouse-gas emissions were only 0.6 percent of the nation's total output in 2013, according to federal data.
• President Obama has made it clear that climate change is an "all-hands-on-deck challenge," with the potential to have a huge impact given the reach and scope of the government's supply chain.
• The White House Council on Environmental Quality estimates that federal actions can have a huge impact due to the government's 360,000 buildings, 650,000 fleet vehicles, and $445 billion in spending on goods and services.

Statistics:

• 40 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions from 2008 levels by 2025
• 30 percent of government electricity supply to come from renewable energy by 2025
• 5 million metric tons in carbon emissions reduction by private sector suppliers
• 26 million tons in overall U.S. emissions reduction by 2025
• 5.5 million cars taken off the road equivalent to emissions reduction by 2025
• $18 billion in expected savings from new measures
• $1.8 billion in savings from reduced energy use in federal buildings since Obama took office
• 17 percent reduction in overall federal emissions since Obama took office
• 0.6 percent of nation's total greenhouse-gas emissions from federal government in 2013

Sources:

• The Washington Post, "Obama signs executive order to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2025" (no date)
• Energy Department, "Guidance on Energy Efficiency for New Federal Buildings" (October 2014)
• American Gas Association, statement from President and CEO Dave McCurdy (no date)
• Center for American Progress, "Disappointment and Disarray: The Energy Industry's Climate Crisis" (October 2014)