Over 800 California-based businesses, including ABO member Sapphire Energy, have signed the Climate Declaration. It is “a business leader call to action that urges federal and state policymakers to seize economic opportunity of addressing climate change”. The declaration was announced on February 25th at the Climate Leadership Conference in San Diego, California.
California is at the forefront of moving the U.S. to a clean energy economy, such as with its landmark legislation, AB32. Such leadership is especially crucial in California where drought has created a national emergency and innovative solutions that also create jobs can’t come fast enough.
“Actively addressing climate change is the biggest economic opportunity of our time,” said Danny Kennedy, co-founder of Sungevity and author of Rooftop Revolution, How to Save Our Economy – and Our Planet – from Dirty Energy.
Sapphire Energy, as well as the rest of the algae industry believes in algae’s ability to address climate change challenges:
- Algae have the ability to take in larger amounts of CO2 from emitting sources, such as fossil fuel plants, out of the air and turn it into useful, sustainable products.
- California and other parts of the U.S. impacted by drought have had to take drastic measures to protect fresh water sources. Algae grow in salt water to produce feeds, fuels, medicines, cosmetics, and in some cases can even create fresh water.
- Algae’s resilient qualities to climate change, and the value of the products that are possible, can be source of new job growth. A robust algae industry could employ thousands in California alone.
Learn more about how California businesses are actively addressing climate change here.