The report examines GHG reduction efforts in five U.S. industry sectors - aluminum, chemicals, electric power, forestry and paper, and pharmaceuticals. Within those sectors the report provides in-depth case studies of the actions of seven individual companies - Alcoa, DuPont, AEP, Entergy, FPL Group, International Paper and Pfizer.

"U.S. companies and state regulators are clearly getting out in front of the federal government in addressing climate change" said Neil J. Numark, Chairman of the SEI Board. "U.S. industry increasingly recognizes that we are moving towards carbon constraints in this country. Many prefer this be done in a uniform way at the national level, not through the patchwork of state regulations that's now emerging. Otherwise they'll face continuing regulatory uncertainty, which inhibits the ability to commit to large capital investments."

The report states that some electric power companies now support a national "cap-and-trade" program for carbon, as a component of a multi-pollutant legislative plan for the power sector that would control carbon together with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury.

The report also cites the preference of multinational companies for a global program on GHG emissions that allows international trading of allowances, over an approach in which the U.S. goes it alone.

SEI will hold a series of roundtables in Washington, D.C. entitled "Next Steps Post-Kyoto: U.S. Options," from January through March 2005. U.S. business actions to address climate change will be part of that discussion. Information on this upcoming series is available at www.s-e-i.org/climatechangeseries.asp.

The Sustainable Energy Institute is a 501(c)(3) educational organization committed to improving public awareness and understanding worldwide of future energy supply and demand options and their implications, focusing particular attention on technological solutions to a cleaner energy future. For more information visit www.s-e-i.org.

Numark Associates is a Washington, DC-based energy and environmental consulting firm specializing in nuclear energy, non-proliferation and cleanup matters; climate change policy and emissions trading systems; regulatory and government affairs; energy policy and politics; and a wide range of issues affecting the electric power industry. For more information visit www.numarkassoc.com.

GreenBiz.com, produced by the nonprofit National Environmental Education & Training Foundation, is an online clearinghouse of news, tools, and resources to help companies of all sizes align environmental responsibility with business success. For more information visit www.greenbiz.com.