WCA Washington Roundtable
Climate Change & Coal: US Actions & Opportunities, 23 June 2009
The US plays a pivotal role in the international discourse on climate change and energy policy. Effective engagement by the US is essential if international efforts to address climate change are to be successful. The central role for coal in meeting US energy needs creates challenges to reducing GHG emissions. Successfully reconciling continued coal use with emissions constraints in the US will not only be critical to domestic efforts to reduce emissions and ensure secure energy supply but will also demonstrate to coal dependent, developing countries that a coal-based economy can be compatible with clean development.
The Roundtable brought together key players within the US energy and environment field with World Coal Association Board Members and invited guests to discuss the challenge of reconciling continued coal use with energy and climate change objectives.
Morning Session - Challenges, Opportunities and Priorities for US Energy and Climate Change Policy
Chair, Milton Catelin, CEO, World Coal Association
The morning session also included the following speakers (copies of these presentations are not available):
- The Global Challenge of CCS Deployment - Barbara McKee, Director, Office of Clean Energy Collaboration, US Department of Energy
- The US Role in Climate Negotiations, Trigg Talley, Director of Global Change, US Department of State
- The Politics of US Energy & Climate Policy, Dick Gephardt, President & CEO, Gephardt Group and former US House Majority Leader
Afternoon Session - Developments and Initiatives on CCS and Climate Policy
Chair: Greg Boyce, Chairman & CEO, Peabody Energy
The afternoon session included a number of other speakers (presentations are not currently available online):
- CCS and Climate Policy in the UK - Martin Deutz, Director, Cleaner Fossil Fuels, UK Department of Energy & Climate Change
- CCS and Climate Policy in Australia - Ralph Hillman, Executive Director, Australian Coal Association
- CCS and Climate Policy in USA - Allyson Anderson, Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee and Franz Wuerfmansdobler, Senate Appropriations Committee
