Energy And Climate Ministerial

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Western Hemisphere nations have shown great innovation in meeting the challenge of sustainable energy that will help meet the challenge of climate change.

At the Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas, hosted April 15 and 16 by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Organization of American States, the OAS, Secretary Clinton said, "Millions of people in Brazil traveled to work and school today in vehicles fueled by ethanol. In Costa Rica, a country working to become the world’s first carbon-neutral country, shops, households, hospitals are running on electricity generated from renewable sources. In Mexico, a cement corporation is powered by Latin America’s largest wind farm. In Chile, the construction of a solar farm is underway in the desert. And a clean energy technology network is being developed across the region, linking centers in Peru, El Salvador, Chile, Costa Rica, and Brazil. And Trinidad and Tobago [has] announced that [it] will also build a center."

Secretary Clinton announced six energy and climate change initiatives that the U.S. will launch through the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas.

The first initiative is to advance sustainable energy in the Caribbean. The United States will provide a grant to the OAS to lend technical and legal expertise to any Caribbean country seeking to help get clean energy projects started.

Second, the U.S. will support energy and environmental security in Central America. Third, the U.S. will work to advance sustainable biomass energy. Fourth, the U.S. will work through the Peace Corps to advance renewable energy efforts.
Fifth, the United States has named three of its top scientists to serve as Senior Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas fellows to act as consultants, advisors, and educators to its Western Hemisphere partners.

Sixth, the United States will promote the use of shale gas –- a potential resource that could advance energy security in countries in the Americas.

"The fundamental purpose of this partnership," said Secretary Clinton, "is to promote sustainable growth that benefits all of our citizens."