Obama's EO13514 Focuses on Federal Agency Sustainabillity Efforts



Posted: Saturday, January 23, 2010

by
Earth Phone

The new Executive Order 13514 on Energy Reform by President Obama will take the center stage of energy use in the United States.

President Obama has received some criticism for not being more vocal in his support for climate change, for not recognizing that the USA must take a lead in environmental issues. After signing his latest executive order, energy change advocates granted him some credibility for at least taking a step to curb the carbon emissions of the country's largest polluter, the federal government.

Through the release of an executive order, energy reform and emission reduction has gained a significant spotlight around the country. President Obama's latest EO may have been received with little fanfare in the populist media, but is likely to have a very significant effect on overall energy use in the United States.

Pres. George W. Bush was known for his reticence when it came to anything associated with climate change and energy restrictions. While he was responsible for his own executive order on the overall subject, it did not directly address the subject of carbon emissions.

Through Obama's executive order 13514, energy use must be curtailed at federal agency level. The president has instructed each agency head to come up with a nominal percentage figure, representing a 10 year reduction. Once these figures have been determined, each agency must put in place provisions to ensure that they achieve the percentage reduction.

In order to address the requirements of the executive order, energy reduction requirements and reporting needs, agency chiefs must first take stock of their existing greenhouse gas emissions inventories. The federal government has never been asked to show the size of its own carbon footprint and the agencies will undoubtedly face considerable challenge as they try and determine the scale for the first time.

The federal government is the largest energy consumer in the country and consequently the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. As agencies comply with the executive order, there is bound to be a significant effect on the overall problem of carbon emissions across the country. Federal employees will be helped in getting acquainted with innovative measures and best practices in conducting business.

Best practices need to be established by officials of the federal agency by working together, as stipulated in the new executive order. The federal government may not be known for its ultimate efficiency and as it will now be necessary to analyze the output of each individual asset, solutions must be sought to assist in the gathering and interpretation of this data.

Pres. President Obama's administration faces major challenges in addressing climate change and environmental issues. Countries around the world will soon gather to debate a new international protocol and as legislation stalls in the U.S. Congress, the latest executive order takes on additional meaning.

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