Executive Director for Energy and Sustainability, University of California, Davis
For many decades now, the United Sates has been without an energy policy. Energy policy was allowed to drift by both political parties despite its centrality to America"s domestic economy and to our nation"s security. It was permitted to drift despite the fact that virtually every American recession since the late 1940s has been preceded by spikes in oil prices. The report"s central dilemma is: the American people continue to demand plentiful and cheap energy without sacrifice or inconvenience; but, emerging technologies are not yet commercially viable to fill shortages and will not be for some time; nor is surplus energy capacity available at this time to meet such demands. This Independent Task Force Report outlines some of the hard choices that should be considered and recommends specific policy approaches to secure the energy future of the United States. The Bush administration is in a unique position to articulate these tradeoffs in a nonpartisan manner and to rally the support of the American public. U.S. strategic energy policy must prioritize and coordinate domestic and foreign policy choices and objectives, where possible. Moreover, the energy problem is inexorably intertwined with the fundamental challenge of creating sustainable economic growth without sacrificing environmental protection. The pursuit of a solution demands a major national effort. This recommendation sits at the core of an Independent Task Force Report sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Baker Institute. The Task Force included experts from every segment of the world of energy - producers, consumers, environmentalists, national security experts and others.
Edward L. Morse, Chair, Independent Task Force on Strategic Energy Policy
Amy Myers Jaffe, Project Director, Independent Task Force on Strategic Energy Policy
