Update (9/10/07) - The unprecedented coalition calling for a cap and trade system to combat climate change, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), has added two more companies to its ranks. Exelon, one of the nation's largest electric utilities, and Rio Tinto, one of the largest mining and exploration companies, have joined the partnership calling for federal climate action. With 20 new companies added this year, USCAP now represents $2 trillion in revenue, 2.7 million workers, operations in every state and nearly every country in the world. A landmark alliance of leading corporations and environmental leaders are working together to urge the federal government to: cut greenhouse gas emissions 60-80 percent, create business incentives and, act swiftly and thoughtfully. Working toward mandatory cuts in heat-trapping pollution across all sectors.

The new members bolster USCAP’s collective call for mandatory reductions of heat-trapping gases, and complement the group’s broad cross-section of industries critical to slowing climate change. These include manufacturing, utilities, chemical production and car manufacturing.
"We are pleased to join USCAP at a critical stage in the conversation on climate change, energy consumption and environmental protection. We all recognize it is time for action," said Alan Mulally, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company. Tom LaSorda, President and CEO, Chrysler Group, concurred, "Now is the time for advancing a national approach to climate change where all of us — individuals, industry and government — take action toward reducing emissions of greenhouse gases." Unprecedented corporate action to find green solution
Never before have industry leaders lined up so solidly with environmental advocates to solve an environmental problem. The 23 USCAP companies join six nonprofit partners — Environmental Defense, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Natural Resources Defense Council and the World Resources Institute — to call for effective climate policy. As Congress starts to seriously look at the issue of climate change, the group's expansion is a powerful catalyst for action. "With this lineup of companies and environmental groups endorsing it, a carbon cap is clearly the consensus solution to climate change,” said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense. "With cap and trade, we’ve found the center — environmental groups and businesses can embrace because it guarantees results for the climate while freeing companies to hunt for innovative, least-cost ways to lower emissions," Krupp said. Already this year, Congress has held a number of hearings on the problem of climate change, and some eight bills are being considered. In February, Senator John Warner (R-VA), who sits on the Environment and Public Works Committee, noted USCAP's role in helping bring the issue of climate change into the "big leagues." "When I see such an extraordinary cross-section of America's free-enterprise system, together with the environmental groups, come and form a group like this, you've got my attention," said Warner.
Echoing these sentiments was Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA), chairman of the House subcommittee that will develop climate change legislation, who said in a recent meeting with Environmental Defense: "Continue to expand USCAP. Each new economic sector added to USCAP melts away pockets of opposition in Congress." GM's support of USCAP climate action is strong signal Cars and light trucks are a significant contributor to global warming pollution. The addition of GM, Chrysler and Ford to the USCAP effort shows the automobile sector has the potential to be a big contributor to solutions. "The addition of these new companies adds horsepower to the push for Congress to act quickly on a real solution to climate change," said Krupp. USCAP corporations represent $1.9 trillion in revenue and more than 2.3 million employees in all 50 states. The non-governmental organizations involved have a combined membership of more than two million people worldwide, and a long history of global leadership on environmental and conservation issues. Krupp stresses the importance of involving business not only to increase pressure on Congress, but ensure that any plan for fixing climate change was also a boost for the U.S. economy. "We chose a cap-and-trade approach because it guarantees the emissions cuts we need, while it unleashes cash and creativity from the private sector. This plan is a jobs winner as well as an environmental winner." USCAP partners support six recommendations for national action: Account for the global dimensions of climate change – U.S. leadership is essential for establishing an equitable and effective international policy framework for robust action on climate; Recognize the importance of technology – The cost-effective deployment of existing energy efficient technologies should be a priority; Be environmentally effective – mandatory requirements and incentives must be stringent enough to achieve necessary emissions reductions; Create economic opportunity and advantage – a climate protection program must use the power of the market to establish clear targets and timeframes;
Be fair – Solutions must account for the disproportionate impact of both global warming and emissions reductions on some economic sectors, geographic regions and income groups; and
Encourage early action – Prior to the effective date of mandatory pollution limits, every reasonable effort should be made to reduce emissions.