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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

FINAL STAFF REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND
GLOBAL WARMING

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HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

of massachusetts

in the house of representatives

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I hereby submit to the
Congressional Record the executive summary of the Final Staff Report
from the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on
the committee's activities in the 110th Congress. A full copy of the
Select Committee's Final Staff Report for the 110th Congress can be
found at globalwarming.house.gov.

Final Staff Report for the 111th Congress

SUMMARY

We are at a watershed moment in the history of energy
production--and the choices we make at this juncture will
determine the fate of our planet and the national security
and economic future of the United States. Between now and
2030, roughly $26 trillion will be invested in energy
infrastructure worldwide. Clean energy will likely make up an
increasing share of this investment with every passing year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that $5.7
trillion will be invested in renewable electricity generation
alone between 2010 and 2035. This new infrastructure is long-
lived and costly, and the decisions made in the next decade
will set the course of the global and U.S. energy system--and
of the global climate--for the next century and beyond. This
transition also presents an unprecedented opportunity for
economic growth and job creation in the clean energy
technology sector. Other countries are taking the lead in
clean energy and the United States must act now if it is to
remain competitive in this rapidly developing global market.
Global climate change presents one of the gravest threats
to our planet's health, and to America's economy, its
national security, and its public health. Scientists warn
that we may be approaching a tipping point, after which it
will become increasingly difficult, or perhaps impossible, to
halt global warming and its catastrophic effects. The United
States confronts this issue at the same time it faces a
deepening energy crisis--characterized by skyrocketing
prices, high dependence on foreign oil, and continued--
reliance on high-carbon fuels that worsen the climate crisis.
The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global
Warming was created by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in
2007 to examine and make recommendations on the interrelated
issues of energy independence, national security, America's
economic future and global warming.
During its four years, the Select Committee held 80
hearings and briefings, conducted investigations, led fact
finding trips with Congressional members, and contributed to
the most active four years in energy and climate policy
development and debate in the United States Congress.
As a result of the Select Committee's work in raising the
profile of energy and climate issues, and spurring increased
debate, the House of Representatives passed several pieces of
legislation that will reduce our nation's consumption of
foreign oil, increase energy efficiency, and create new jobs
in the clean energy sector.
In 2007, the first year of the Select Committee, the House
passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which
included fuel economy provisions co-authored by Rep. Edward
J. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee. The bill also
increased America's use of advanced biofuels, and updated
energy efficiency standards for appliances and lighting
systems.
The Select Committee also was instrumental in pushing for
increased investment in clean energy technologies. The
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 invested $90
billion in clean energy, which jump-started new domestic
industries like advanced electric batteries, boosted
household energy efficiency, and helped key renewable energy
sectors like wind and solar avoid collapse during the
recession.
In June of 2009, the House passed the Waxman-Markey
American Clean Energy and Security Act, the first passage of
a comprehensive energy and climate bill in the history of the
U.S. Congress. The bill set ambitious carbon reduction
targets, which were used by U.S. negotiators to craft the
Copenhagen Accord. It also created a roadmap to create clean
energy jobs and the next generation of clean energy
technologies.
These legislative achievements happened as historic events
indicated that swift action was needed to address a strained
energy system and a dangerously destabilized climate. The
years 2007-2010 are all in the top ten warmest years on
record, according to NASA. Oil and gasoline prices peaked to
record levels in 2007 and are on the rise again as the
country emerges from the recession.
As the Select Committee ends its tenure of progress, it is
clear that there is much left to be done to stabilize our
global climate, and spur the development of clean energy
technology and jobs here in America.
This report summarizes the results and findings of the
Select Committee's hearings and investigations, highlights
legislative accomplishments that flow from the information it
has developed and makes recommendations for steps moving
forward. We begin with a discussion of the key issue of
energy independence.

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