According to a 2006 statement by President Bush, "America is addicted to oil." Given the multiple threats associated with this addiction, from a growing climate crisis to predictions that we have hit the oil peak and the era of "cheap" oil is over, the importance of finding a cure is becoming increasingly urgent. But America is not alone in its addiction, Europe also depends on oil for forty percent of its energy needs, and as most of the supply and reserves are found in regions of the world with unstable governments that are often hostile to the West, there is a call in both Europe and the United States for energy policies that will promote alternative and sustainable fuel sources that will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions and independence from foreign oil.

While the United States and Europe struggle at the national levels to find the most effective energy policies and strategies for government investment in research and development for climate-friendly technology, cities, states, and regions are taking the lead on both sides of the Atlantic to introduce initiatives that encourage efficiency through innovation and creativity and that promote the use of renewable energy sources.

The second conference in the Transatlantic Conference Series on Urban and Regional Policy Challenges, Local Approaches to a Sustainable Energy Future, took place November 15-17, 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts. It brought together 35 city and state-level representatives from Europe and the United States, policymakers and practitioners, to exchange ideas and discuss ways to further advance sustainable energy policies. Through case studies and informal roundtables, participants were able to share direct experiences in policy formulation or implementation of sustainable energy initiatives that have proven effective in increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources and in reducing overall carbon emissions.

The 1.5 day conference included plenary sessions and parallel small group sessions which focused on case studies from the cities of Austin, Texas; Barcelona, Spain; Boston, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Freiburg, Germany; Lyon, France; and Portland, Oregon; as well as on sustainable energy efforts at the regional level, from Pennsylvania, New York, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and Spain. The small group panels focused on green design, the challenges of wind power siting, traffic reduction, the role of cities and states as innovators in implementing sustainable energy practices, and renewable portfolio standards. Summaries of the speaker presentations can be found at Appendix A.

The conference concluded with a session that highlighted Boston and Massachusetts efforts to implement sustainable energy practices, followed by tours of the award-winning LEED certified Genzyme and Artists for Humanity buildings.

To view summaries of the speakers' remarks, please click on the link below:
Local approaches to a sustainable energy future (PDF-49KB)