Since Obama took office there seems to be ceaseless focus on the “green economy”. The US President considers clean energy fuels key to boosting the economy and has allocated $60 billion of his stimulus package to building a renewable energy economy and cutting green-house emissions. His government also recently announced $3 billion in government grants and over $30 billion in loans to encourage renewable energy projects in the country, while also pledging investment of $150 billion over the next 10 years, to propel energy innovation. Of course, huge investments do not come without huge debates. The “real” contribution of green jobs , the legitimacy of the “Apollo Alliance”, and the general shift towards clean energy being a key solution to fixing the global warming crisis and the recession, are still hot button conversation topics.
Be that as it may, members of the WFES team based in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere across the world, are very proud to be working on this show. We feel WFES makes a strong contribution to the search for and deployment of energy solutions that impact mankind’s existence on planet earth – the fact that this may contribute to the process of economic recovery, is an added bonus.
Posted by: The WFES team
I think that investment in a clean energy economy is essential and the responsible thing to do. I hope that President Obama sticks to his “guns” about building a greener USA. We have spent our country’s lifetime doing our part in destroying this Earth’s resources and I think it’s about time we as a Nation take the high road per se and do our part to protect the planet for future generations. Bravo Pres. Obama.
Investing in the clean-tech or clean-energy must be THE priority for all the countries able to support it in a long term and not only for the coming days.
I would like to be optimistic, however the new USA government did not sign the Kyoto protocol (wich will expire in 2012). More than that; we have to remember that Obama plan came during the World economic cirisis (March 2008 with Bear Sterns affair).
I am afraid that this investment is a solution to boost the economic growth in a short term. I hope that the wave will be much more than I think.
We have to thank Mr Obama’s initiative that gives impetus to an emerging change in attitudes.
As said Olivier de Kersauson: ¨Man is often mediocre and sometimes amazing¨ so let’s hope.
Obama’s merit is to be the first American President to really take seriously into consideration the renewable energy industry and try to make changes at an economic and technological level.
As a big energy consumer and polluter, only the future will tell us if this initiatives will suffice to ‘dig U.S. out of the trench’. Bearing in mind as well that America, has a very powerful oil lobby.
Ok Obama is injecting these huge resources to advance renewable energy solutions in HIS Country. I agree that it’s time for the US to have a softer impact on the environment as it is the number one global contributor to our planet’s warming and let’s remember that previous US administrations refused continuously to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change. That is a real good move that we must thank Obama for as residents of this planet. On the other side I think lots of work has to be done in our region to follow suit of the US’giant leap and see genuine committment and faster response from the region’s political leadership to see what can be done HERE before its too late…
Kudos to Obama for his moves. But, although the US is a major global economy, other countries to pitch in too and put their money where their mouth is when it comes to taking concrete action on green jobs, investment opportunities in clean energy etc.
With economies increasingly inter-connected, the US will need other nations to move as quickly as well….
As with industrialization or with our shift to fossil fuels to feed an ever growing need for energy, a shift towards a “clean-energy economy is entirely dependent on sustainability; namely the creation and sustaining of new areas of employment and ultimately new relevant technologies.
Where President Obama differs from many of those beating their eco-drums is in his understanding that true and significant advances in “green-solutions” are inherently tied to economic issues.
I feel that President Obama’s application of aggressive stimulus packages and large financial investments, while ambitious, will ultimately result in one of the most significant steps towards true global change with regard to our production and use of energy.
I think that investment in a clean energy economy is essential in this day and age. It will create a sustainable future for the economy and the environment; a renewable energy ecomony and lesser green house emissions is definitely the way forward. A great side effect is that the population will be healthier with less pollutants intoxicating our system. We currently pollute the air, earth and waterways that we rely on to survive. It just seems common sense to make a cleaner future. Really proud that Obama is my President.