Climate Connections: Information Technology and a Green Economy
Combating climate change and confronting the energy crisis will require utilizing a broad array of strategies, from bringing renewable resources online to reducing our energy consumption through improvements in energy efficiency.
Information and communications technology (ICT) will have an important role in maximizing the potential of both of these strategies. Telecommuting and video conferencing allow work to be conducted remotely, thereby reducing the amount of vehicle miles traveled by commuters. Smart use of ICT can guide routing of fleet vehicles to cut reduce fuel use. And deploying “smart grid” infrastructure—which transforms our electrical transmission system into a communications network for real-time information flow—will create a more resilient and efficient grid, allowing more versatile control of electricity demand and facilitating interconnection of distributed renewable energy generation.
The purpose of this briefing is to educate policymakers and staff about the significant contributions ICT can make in reducing global warming emissions, and will hopefully serve as the start of a sustained policy dialogue on the topic.
Opening Remarks:
Congresswoman Hilda Solis (CA-32):
First elected in 2000, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis is serving her fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents California's 32nd Congressional District, which includes portions of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. Prior to her election to Congress, Solis served eight years in the California state legislature. In August 2000, Solis became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her pioneering work on environmental justice issues in California.
In 2003, she became the first Latina appointed to the powerful Committee on Energy and Commerce where she is the Vice Chair of the Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee and a member of the Health and Telecommunications Subcommittees. She is also a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources. In March 2007, Solis was named a member of the newly created House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
Solis is Vice Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and serves as a Senior Whip, as well as a Regional Whip for Southern California. She is also serving her third term as the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' Task Force on Health and the Environment.
In 2007, Solis was appointed to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as the Mexico–United States Interparliamentary Group.
For more information on Congresswoman Solis, please visit her website here: http://solis.house.gov//
Featured Panelists:
Kathryn C. Brown, Verizon:
Kathryn Brown is Senior Vice President for Public Policy Development and Corporate Responsibility for Verizon. Before joining Verizon Ms. Brown was a partner at Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering and a member of the law firm’s Communications and Electronic Commerce practice. Prior to joining Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, Brown was the Chief of Staff of the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman William E. Kennard between 1998 and 2000. She previously served as the Chief of the FCC’s Common Carrier Bureau where she led key initiatives to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Before working at the FCC, Brown was the associate administrator, Office of Policy Analysis and Development, at the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration. In that position, she was closely involved in formulating and articulating the administration's position on the Telecommunications Act and in promoting the deployment of advanced technologies both here and abroad. Ms. Brown also worked for eight years at the New York State Public Service Commission in various capacities, including as the director of the Consumer Services Division and as litigation attorney and managing attorney for Telecommunications with the Office of General Counsel. Prior to joining the New York Public Service Commission, Brown was the deputy clerk of the New York State Court of Appeals.
Laura Ipsen, Cisco Systems:
Laura K. Ipsen is Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Government Affairs for Cisco. Since 1996, she has been responsible for developing Cisco’s public policy agenda and managing government affairs activities worldwide. In addition, she is a co-chair of Cisco’s EcoBoard, focusing on Cisco initiatives and leadership on environmental issues, and she leads Cisco’s Women’s Advisory Group, which identifies and recommends gender-focused strategies in partnership with the Inclusion and Diversity Council.
Ipsen received the Women Making History award from Barbara Boxer in March 2008.
Ipsen is the chair of the board of directors for the Information Technology Industry Council, and serves on the board of the European American Business Council, the Public Affairs Council, and the Technology Board for Pacific Research Institute. She is the past president and chair of the board of the Organization of Women in International Trade.
Prior to Cisco, Ipsen worked in government affairs and international trade for Hitachi Data Systems and Acer Corp. She began her career in government affairs and international trade with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Ipsen holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Virginia and studied Arabic at Yarmouk University in Jordan.
Steven Hauser, Gridpoint:
Steve Hauser is Vice President of Strategy for GridPoint, the pioneer of an innovative Smart Grid platform to address today’s energy challenges while aligning the interests of electric utilities, consumers and the environment. Mr. Hauser is responsible for creating new markets and partnerships to accelerate the long-term growth of GridPoint. He has been nationally recognized for more than 25 years as a leader in clean energy technology development efforts. In 2002, he was featured in MIT’s Technology Review magazine as a pioneer in the electric smart grid revolution.
Mr. Hauser also serves as president of the GridWise Alliance, an advocacy group supporting a national imperative for modernizing the nation’s electric infrastructure. Since 2000, he has brought together more than 200 companies to create a broad industry vision to transform energy systems, markets, and technologies. Mr. Hauser has also led the creation of a new national brand called "GridWise," significantly raising the visibility of these issues with federal and state policymakers.
Previously, Mr. Hauser has held various senior management positions at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Battelle and SAIC. During his career he has served as an advisor to numerous clean energy organizations and is former Chairman of the World Renewable Energy Congress. Mr. Hauser holds an M.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and a B.S. in engineering physics from Oregon State University.
Bracken Hendricks, Center for American Progress (Moderator):
Bracken Hendricks is a Senior Fellow with American Progress where he works on issues of climate change and energy independence, environmental protection, infrastructure investment, and economic policy, with a focus on broadening progressive constituencies and message framing. Hendricks served in the Clinton Administration as a Special Assistant to the Office of Vice President Al Gore and with the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he worked on the Interagency Climate Change Working Group, the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, and the White House Livable Communities Task Force on issues of public safety, electronic government, oceans policy, trade and the environment, and smart growth.
Hendricks was the founding Executive Director and is currently a National Steering Committee member of the Apollo Alliance for good jobs and energy independence, a coalition of labor, environmental, business and community leaders dedicated to changing the politics of energy independence. Hendricks served as a Consultant to the Office of the President of the AFL-CIO and as an Economic Analyst with the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute. He has been a member of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s Energy Advisory Task Force, the Cornell University Eco-Industrial Round Table, and the Energy Future Coalition. He is also a philanthropic advisor to the Wallace Global Fund on matters of Civic Engagement and Democratic Participation. Hendricks serves on the board of Green HOME, a Washington DC based non-profit promoting green building in affordable housing and has worked on political campaigns in the private sector.
Supplimental Materials from Verizon Communications:
GeSI report, SMART2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age (June 20, 2008)
WWF Report: First Global ICT Strategy for CO2 Reductions (June 3rd, 2008)
Information and Communication Technologies: The Power of Productivity, 2008, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (Skip Laitner)
Broadband Services: Economic and Environmental Benefits, 2007, American Consumer Institute
The Internet Economy and Global Warming, 1999, Joe Romm, senior fellow at Center for American Progress
Supplimental Materials from Gridpoint:
Creating our 21st Century Economy through a Smart Grid, Gridpoint
Supplimental Materials from Cisco Systems:
Global e-Sustainability Initiative Press Release: Smarter technology use could reduce global emissions by 15 per cent and save global industry EUR 500 billion in annual energy costs by 2020