Citing Bipartisanship, Lugar Calls For Action on Achievable Energy Legislation

Press Release

In remarks to the Clean Energy Ministerial last night, U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar called for Senate action on practical and achievable energy legislation this year. He also highlighted the importance of trade and international coordination, and noted important contributions coming out of Indiana. The Clean Energy Ministerial, hosted by Energy Secretary Steven Chu, included dozens of international cabinet officials and key policy stakeholders focused on energy.

Thank you, David Sandalow, for your kind introduction. I also want to commend Secretary Chu for convening this first Clean Energy Ministerial. It is an important step in putting needed high-level emphasis on energy security.

Access to reliable and affordable energy supplies is vital to every country's national security and economic system. When those supplies are endangered by political manipulation, terrorism, or depleted resources, the threat can be existential. In the near term, if we fail to address these vulnerabilities, the prospects for economic recovery could be seriously imperiled. Over the longer term, we must focus on conversion from a fossil fuel dominated global economy to one that depends much more on renewable resources and maximizes energy efficiencies. Surely these are things on which we agree.

These are problems that require cooperation with other governments. Each of our countries can work on energy independence though domestic efforts, but energy security is highly dependent on the decisions, investments, and political attitudes of other countries. Consequently, there are few topics on which the international community has a greater responsibility to engage.

Reliable and affordable energy supplies are essential ingredients for entrepreneurs, industry, hospitals, transportation and other components of our efforts to help eliminate poverty. It should come as no surprise that as economies develop and more people escape early mortality that the world's energy resources will be under greater strain. Our energy challenges are shared among nations, and resolution of those challenges requires both domestic action and international cooperation.

We must continue to diversify and fortify conventional energy trade. This evening I would like to highlight the importance of improved transparency in the management of oil and gas. Just last week, the U.S. Congress gave final approval to legislation (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.1700:) that I authored with Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland that requires disclosure of extractives industries payments. I encourage each of your nations to join the United States by instituting similar requirements.

Energy transformation is already underway. Engineers in my home state of Indiana are developing electric vehicle components, chemists and geologists are working on carbon sequestration from coal, and biologists are making breakthroughs on advanced biofuels. Farmers, including myself, are making money by selling their grains for ethanol, and localities have increased tax revenues from windmill usage.

Opening markets for investment and trade in clean energy will be the most effective means of deploying innovation globally. Trade is integral to the developments we have witnessed in Indiana. As just two examples, the Norwegian company Think will soon manufacture electric cars in Indiana, and advanced engines from Indiana-based Cummins are powering city buses in China.

There is bipartisan U.S. commitment to further enhancing our clean energy leadership. While energy proposals are predictably diverse, there is wider agreement on the goals and benefits. For example, legislation I recently introduced would cut U.S. foreign oil vulnerability by 40%, slash our overall U.S. energy needs by 11%, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20% by focusing on attainable energy savings and clean energy investment frameworks. Such a plan alone or in combination with legislation approved by the Senate Energy Committee last year would bring big savings from policies that are achievable this year.

Internationally, U.S. commitment is strong. I am confident that a strong majority of legislators agrees that a secure and sustainable energy future is among our highest foreign policy priorities. Improved international communication and coordination is vital for the simple reason that the energy decisions made in Beijing, Brussels, Brasilia, and in each of your capitals will impact citizens the world over.

I thank you all for coming to Washington, for your discussions with us and with one another, and for joining in this important conversation.

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