DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (December 10, 2011) After the conclusion of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP 17 conference in Durban, South Africa, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director David Foster:

“The economic cost of climate change necessitates an international agreement that achieves aggressive emissions reductions, which will drive the transition to a clean energy economy. Today’s agreement brings the world’s largest emitters, including China and India, to the table to make meaningful progress in the fight to combat clime change.

“Job creation must be at the heart of any effort to address climate change. Today’s agreement will allow the United States to lead the world in the transition to that clean energy economy. The Obama administration’s efforts to spur the growth of clean technologies, improve fuel efficiency standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, and preserve critical environmental protections are a good foundation from which to build upon. But much more needs to be done to ensure that the worst impacts of climate change are averted and that through these measures, quality jobs are created around the world.

“Moving forward, it is incumbent upon all governments to focus on future international agreements and implementing clean energy jobs strategies that solve the unemployment crisis and reduce emissions. The world can’t wait any longer to address the climate crisis.”