80 corporate leaders call for climate action

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Ethanol is expected to be at or near the top of the list of targets for federal subsidy cuts.

More than 80 leading CEOs from U.S. businesses, including Virgin America, Levi Strass & Co., eBay and PG&E, sent a letter to President Obama and members of Congress today calling on them to move quickly to enact comprehensive climate and energy legislation that will create jobs and enhance U.S. competitiveness.

Nike CEO Mark Parker and Ron Pernick, co-founder and managing director of Clean Edge Inc., represented the Oregon business community by signing the letter.

The letter, coming one week before the President's State of the Union address, says that the U.S. is "falling behind" in the global clean energy race. The business leaders call for forceful leadership to achieve legislation that will unleash innovation, drive economic growth, boost energy independence and decrease carbon emissions.

Congress is considering legislation that would implement a carbon cap-and-trade program nationwide, but observers have said such decisive national action is unlikely.

"Smart businesses can only do so much on their own to address climate change," said Stonyfield Farm CEO Gary Hirshberg in a statement concerning the litter. "At this point, the rules need to change: there needs to be a price or tax on carbon. This incentive for genuine innovation needs to be firmly in place in order for the US to compete effectively in the global race to a clean energy economy."

Pernick, who operates his business from Portland and is a well-known pundit on climate change and clean energy, is wrapping up his firm's sixth annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit in Palm Springs this week.

Read the full letter from the We Can Lead organization of business executives here.