Executive Order Promises Federal Government GHG Cuts
The Obama administration also is releasing a new scorecard to publicly track self-reported emissions disclosure and progress for all major federal suppliers.
President Obama has issued an executive order that will cut the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent during the next decade from 2008 levels and save taxpayers up to $18 billion in avoided energy costs, while raising to 30 percent the share of electricity the government consumes from renewable sources, according to a White House announcement. It said several major federal suppliers -- including IBM, Humana, GE, Honeywell, and United Technologies -- announced commitments to cut their own GHG emissions.
The announcement said the federal government is the largest single energy consumer in the nation, and the combined results of the federal government actions and these new supplier commitments "will reduce GHG emissions by 26 million metric tons by 2025 from 2008 levels, the equivalent of taking nearly 5.5 million cars off the road for a year." The Obama administration is releasing a new scorecard to publicly track self-reported emissions disclosure and progress for all major federal suppliers.
"With a footprint that includes 360,000 buildings, 650,000 fleet vehicles, and $445 billion spent annually on goods and services, the Federal Government's actions to reduce pollution, support renewable energy, and operate more efficiently can make a significant impact on national emissions. The President's action today will build on the Federal Government's significant progress in reducing emissions to drive further sustainability actions through the next decade," it said.