"We must come together to find new ways to produce and use energy…So today, I'm proposing the creation of a new Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas that can forge progress to a more secure and sustainable future."
-President Barack Obama
Partnership ElementsEnergy Efficiency
Cleaner Fossil Fuels
The Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago underscored that energy and climate change are among the most important issues confronting our future. At the Summit, President Obama invited all countries of the Western Hemisphere to deepen cooperation on energy and climate change. The partnership will help countries learn from each other as we all transition to a clean energy economy, strengthening our security, our prosperity, and protecting the environment.
Region's Importance and Commitment
The Western Hemisphere supplies one-fourth of the world’s crude oil, one-third of the world’s natural gas, nearly one-fourth of its coal, and over a third of global electricity. It is also a leader in renewable energy and many innovative projects are underway that will mitigate climate change; issues that are of immense importance to our citizens. Governments are determined to use more renewable energy, become more energy efficient, integrate energy markets, and increase access to energy.
U.S. Priorities and Assistance
The United States is taking steps to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels and curb greenhouse gas emissions. The United States is prepared to share best practices and learn from our partners on energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner fossil fuels, infrastructure and integration, and energy poverty. To facilitate technology cooperation, encourage investment, and develop public policies, the United States will involve national laboratories, research centers, universities, and its government agencies in collaboration with our hemispheric partners.
Implementing the Partnership
Joining the partnership is voluntary and it will reflect the priorities of participants. The United States solicited the input of every country at the Summit, and hopes that leaders will suggest opportunities to partner and make resources available. We encourage the Inter-American Development Bank, Organization of American States, Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the World Bank, private industry, academia, and civil society to also identify ways they can partner to leverage the activities happening within the Partnership and accelerate the uptake of clean and energy efficient technologies. Inter-American cooperation will help us achieve our respective clean development goals.
The partnership will harness existing cooperation and new activities to a Hemispheric vision and reflect each participant’s unique contributions, capabilities, and interests. By working together to advance clean energy economic growth, we can achieve low-carbon pathways, create the jobs of the future, spur innovation, lower greenhouse gas emissions and make this hemisphere a model for cooperation.