Student Policy Summit Explores Energy Efficiency Policy in California
July 29, 2009, Sacramento, CA—At a five-day Youth Policy Summit on Energy Efficiency in California, 34 college students from around the country will explore how the state might improve its energy efficiency in vehicles, buildings, and electricity generation to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Participating students will make recommendations to be shared with the state's leading energy policymakers and stakeholders.
The Policy Summit, to be held at Sacramento State University Campus beginning August 2, is made possible through a partnership among The Keystone Center, the Alliance to Save Energy, and the program sponsor, American Petroleum Institute.
Annemarie Fussell, co-director of The Keystone Center’s Youth Policy Summit program, noted that in preparation for the California summit, the students spent their summer semester conducting research on energy efficiency issues. During the summit, they will discuss policy solutions that might reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to energy use, specifically focusing on statewide economic and consumer engagement opportunities for addressing this issue.
"The students will work together with a panel of state energy experts to negotiate consensus-based recommendations," said Fussell. "These recommendations will be shared with Governor Schwarzenegger and California’s Legislature, the California State Board of Education, and state energy leaders, as well as with members of other state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, and a broad range of business and non-governmental organizations."
The panel of experts will include representatives from American Petroleum Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Utility Reform Network, Alliance to Save Energy, U.S. Green Building Council, and California Public Utilities Commission. Students are attending from colleges and universities within California, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, and West Virginia. Students’ policy recommendations will additionally be shared with leaders in those states represented by the attending students.
Contact:
Annemarie Fussell, The Keystone Center (970) 455-4231
Jennifer Alvarez, Alliance to Save Energy, (510) 451-4097
The Youth Policy Summit is a program of The Keystone Center, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Keystone, Colo., that promotes non-biased, science-based learning through a variety of education programs and brings together public, private, and civic-sector leaders to solve contentious policy issues.
