State Legistlative Leaders Foundation

Preparing the leaders of today for the challenge of tomorrow

March 4 - 7, 2010

Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
University of California, Santa Barbara

Program Schedule (pdf)

States Must Take the Lead on Environment, Energy and the Economy

During the first weekend in March, more than sixty legislative leaders and corporate representatives gathered in Santa Barbara, California to discuss the increasingly important role of the states in environmental and energy policies.

Hosted by the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, Energy & Environmental Summit of the States featured experts from around the nation. Presenters included Hunter Lovins (Natural Capitalism Solutions), Dr. Paul Portney (University of Arizona), Dr. John Byrne (Center for Energy and Environmental Policy), Dr. Charles Kolstad (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management), Dr. Eban Goodstein (Bard Center for Environmental Policy) and Panama Bartholomy (California Energy Commission).

The program sessions made it clear that not only can the states have a significant impact on environmental policies and behaviors, but they must do so. Indeed, as the national government seems to be stuck in neutral, the states have moved forward on energy efficiency, sustainability and encouraging alternative energy sources.

Abbreviated Program Schedule with Presentations:

Introduction:
The States as Environmental Innovators, Moneymakers and Worldchangers!
Margie Alt, Executive Director
Presentation - "States Lead Environmental Innovations"

Session I: The Economic Opportunities of Going Green
Dr. Hunter Lovins, Natural Competition Center
Presentation - "The Business Case for Going Green"

Session II: Public-Private Partnership Approach
Dr. John Byrne, CEEP, University of Delaware

Session III: Market Based Approaches to Environmental Reform
Dr. Paul R. Portney, Eller College of Management, University of Arizona

Session IV: Voluntary Approaches to Environmental Reform
Dr. Charles Kolstadt, University of California Santa Barbara
Presentation - "Do Voluntary Approaches Work for Environmental Protection?"

Session V: Regulatory Approaches to Environmental Reform
Rob Sargant, Energy Program Director,
Environment America Research and Policy Center
Presentation - "States Driving Progress and Environmental Results on Clean Energy"

Session VI: Where Will the Green Jobs Come From?
Dr. Eban Goodstein, Director, Bard Center for Environmental Policy, Bard College
Presentation - "Green Jobs & the Big Green Job"

Session VII: Panel: Encouraging and Preparing for the Green Economy
Michele Tihami,
IBM Global Policy & Regulatory Director, IBM Energy & Utility Industry
Presentation - Rick Brandes, "The Economic Opportunities of Trash"

Conclusion:
The States as Environmental Innovators, Moneymakers and Worldchangers! (Revisited)
Presentation - Panama Bartholomy, "One State's Journey Towards Energy Security"

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