Building Model Clean Energy Communities: Can Local Leaders Create Jobs, Overcome Barriers to Sustainable Economic Development‪?‬ Climate and Energy

Communities around the world can be sources of experimentation and inspiration as we move towards a clean energy future. In the northeastern United States in particular, cities and states are leading the way in engaging citizens and communities to work together on clean energy and sustainability issues—from bold pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the formation of the nation’s first functioning cap-and-trade system, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. What lessons have these efforts taught us so far and how can the transition to a clean energy economy most effectively bring jobs and sustainable economic development to our communities?

The first annual conference of the Yale Climate and Energy Institute convened leaders in science, policy, business, and international affairs to discuss the barriers that prevent clean energy from achieving full-scale deployment as well as solutions for overcoming those barriers.