[E&E seminars] REMINDER: NRDC's Energy Program Director to Speak

[Kristian Bodek]

Today the Energy Club and the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
are excited to co-host a talk by David Goldstein. Dr. Goldstein is the
Energy Program Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council and a
2002 MacArthur Fellowship recipient. Details are listed below.
 
Cheers,
 
Kristian Bodek
Vice President, MIT Energy Club <http://web.mit.edu/mit_energy/> 
 
 
 
 
How Environmental Protection Policies 
Promote Economic Growth, Competition, and Innovation
 
David B. Goldstein
Energy Program Director
Natural Resources Defense Council
 
Thursday, June 14, 2007
3:30 - 5:00 pm
 <http://whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?selection=E51&Buildings=go> E51-145
 
Abstract
In his talk, David Goldstein examines the scientific evidence that is
available, supplemented with experiential evidence and personal
experience, on how environmental protection policy in general, and
greenhouse gas emissions limits in particular, can enhance economic
growth. 
 
There are widespread opportunities throughout the economy to reduce
pollution and preserve ecosystems in ways that increase profit. But
because of formidable and nearly universal failures of the marketplace,
and simple human tendencies towards risk aversion and loss aversion,
most of these opportunities are not exploited. Pollution reduction
opportunities with rates of return on investment of 30%, 50%, and even
over 100% are going unexploited. 
 
Government policies have a demonstrated track record of having overcome
these failures. 
 
The failure of current markets to take advantages of opportunities to
reduce emissions with very high return on investment creates an even
more powerful barrier to innovation indirectly than it does directly: If
existing products or services that could generate a 30% annual return by
saving energy don't sell, why would anyone develop an even better
technology?
 
 
Biographical sketch
David B. Goldstein has worked on energy efficiency and energy policy
since the early 1970s.  He currently co-directs NRDC's Energy Program.
Dr. Goldstein has been instrumental in the development of energy
efficiency standards for new buildings and appliances that are currently
in effect at the regional and national level in the United States,
Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. He negotiated the agreement that led to
the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, and has helped
design energy efficiency programs with utilities and state regulatory
agencies. He initiated and coordinated the dialogue that led to the
adoption of tax incentives for efficient buildings in the U.S. in the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 and was a founding director of the Consortium
for Energy Efficiency and the New Buildings Institute. Dr. Goldstein
initiated and directed research on how urban structure affects the usage
of automobiles, and originated the Location Efficient Mortgage to
implement the results. David B. Goldstein received a Ph.D. in Physics
from the University of California at Berkeley, and is a Fellow of the
American Physical Society and the recipient of its Leo Szilard Award for
Physics in the Public Interest. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in
2002 and is the recipient of the California Alumni Association's 2003
Award for Excellence in Achievement.
 
 
Co-sponsored by the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment and the
MIT Energy Club
 
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