78,000 Green Jobs For Florida Via Copenhagen

A diverse group of 25 Florida leaders who make up the Green Jobs for Florida delegation are in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. More than 150 nations and 50 heads of state are there Dec. 7 to 18 to discuss limiting greenhouse gas emissions. President Barack Obama participated on Dec. 9.

Among the Florida delegates are Mary Ellen Hogan of the Hogan Law Group in Tampa, George Longo of Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, Tim Morgan of TMI Green Energy in Lakeland and Kathleen M. Shanahan of WRS Compass in Tampa.  

The Florida delegation will have official observer status access to the conference negotiating sessions and meet with representatives and policy officials from Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Queensland (Australia) and Uruguay. They will also confer with delegations from Alaska, California, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Ceres, a Boston-based group that works with companies to address sustainability challenges, is sponsoring the Florida trade mission as part of its formal delegation and arranged the delegation's observer status in Copenhagen.

"These forward-thinking Florida business leaders understand that greening the economy means green for their bottom lines,'' says Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres. "The global transition to a clean energy economy is a tremendous opportunity to create millions of jobs, safeguard our health and build sustainable prosperity and energy security. By going to Copenhagen, these businesses will help ensure that Florida is on the vanguard of the emerging clean energy economy,"

According to a recent research study conducted by the University of California, University of Illinois and Yale University, the adoption of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation would not only result in less pollution, more efficiency and competitiveness, but also the creation of up to 78,000 jobs in Florida over the next 10 years. In addition, the state economy would grow by as much as $4.8 billion.

The Public Policy Group at Bryant Miller Olive, a Florida law firm, will lead the Florida delegation. Several meetings at the conference are hosted by Enterprise Florida.


Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Peyton Fleming, Ceres