14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, US President Barack Obama issued an executive order saying that, by the year 2020, the federal government must triple its use of renewables. The order targets all federal agencies, including the military.
Given its current use of green energy, the US federal government is expected to have 20% of its energy demands met by renewables in 7 years' time, provided that it abides by the President’s executive order.
Earlier this year, Barack Obama promised that he would address both climate change and global warming, and that he would do so by upping the country's reliance on green energy sources and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The executive order issued yesterday is part and parcel of the President’s plan to reach the aforementioned goals.
As detailed in the order itself, “In order to create a clean energy economy that will increase our Nation's prosperity, promote energy security, combat climate change, protect the interests of taxpayers, and safeguard the health of our environment, the Federal Government must lead by example.”
Furthermore, “By fiscal year 2020, to the extent economically feasible and technically practicable, 20% of the total amount of electric energy consumed by each agency during any fiscal year shall be renewable energy.”
Apart from ordering the federal government to up its use of green energy sources, President Obama asked that federal agencies push for sustainability, energy efficiency. What's more, he demanded that they take steps towards cutting their yearly greenhouse gas emissions.
“In order to improve their ability to manage energy consumption, promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve the sustainability goals set forth in Executive Order 13514, this memorandum also directs agencies to update their building performance and energy management practices, by encouraging the use of the consensus based, industry standard Green Button data access system (Green Button) and the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Portfolio Manager,” the US President explains.
During the Obama administration, the federal government has managed to cut its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 15% (7.8 million metric tons), which is the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the country's roads and highways.
The President is confident that, thanks to this new executive order, federal agencies will manage to further improve on their ecological footprint.